Plumbing

It can seem like there’s nothing worse than turning on your hot water in winter only to get a burst of cold water coming out. It’s common for most homes to take a few moments before hot water is delivered to the faucet. With a hot water recirculation system, you can enjoy getting hot water in a fraction of a second from the time you turn on your hot water faucet.

What Is a Hot Water Recirculation System

A hot water recirculation system works to supply a continuous amount of hot water throughout all your hot water lines. These systems are integrated with either a thermostat to monitor line temperature or a timer. Whenever the timer reaches its set threshold or the temperature of the hot water in your hot water line dips below a set point, the recirculation system’s pump will kick on.

This will allow the now-cold water to move back to the water heater for reheating and the hot water from your water heater to refill the hot water lines. This helps to ensure that you always have hot water coming out of your faucet without having an unpleasant delay.

Dedicated vs. Integrated Systems

There are two main types of residential water recirculation systems that you can choose from, which are dedicated and integrated. The dedicated system is comprised of a loop where the recirculation pump gets installed near the bottom of your water heater. The hot water piping flows in a loop throughout your home, with a short pipe connecting each hot water fixture to the hot water line. Whenever you turn on a hot water faucet, you’ll have instantaneous hot water from the hot water line.

The second type of recirculation system is the integrated loop system. This setup is more common for retrofitting pumps to an existing home. In this loop system, the recirculation pump gets installed directly under whatever hot water fixture is furthest from your water heater. Integrated loop systems tend to rely on thermostat sensors that monitor the line temperature and recirculate the water in the hot lines whenever it dips below the set threshold. Homeowners can set different temperature thresholds depending on their ideal preferences.

What Are the Benefits of a Water Recirculation System?

Whenever considering a new investment for your home, it’s always helpful to understand its benefits and drawbacks. We’re going to discuss some of the key benefits that a water recirculation system can provide for your home so you can make a better-informed decision as to whether or not one is right for your home.

Convenience and Comfort

Probably one of the most obvious benefits of a water recirculation system is that it provides more convenience and comfort for homeowners. No longer will you have to wait for hot water to reach your faucets. You can enjoy the comfort of having instant hot water at your fingertips without having to wait and test when the water transitions from cold to hot.

Reduces Water Waste

Another great benefit is that you can easily reduce your water usage. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that up to 1.3 trillion gallons of water are wasted every year as a result of homeowners waiting for their water to heat up. When you think about municipal water treatment centers, that’s a lot of wasted time and money on chemical treatments to simply have the treated water go unused because it’s too cold for homeowners.

Tax Rebates

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that saving water is easy with a water recirculation system. Many local municipalities throughout the country recognize the benefit that these systems can provide for homeowners. In fact, there are tons that are offering tax rebates to homeowners who invest in these systems. This holds especially true in areas where water is scarce throughout the country. As an eligible homeowner, you can enjoy recouping some of the upfront cost of a water recirculation system with one of these tax rebates.

Can Integrate With Existing Piping

When you opt for an integrated loop water recirculation system, you don’t have to worry about installing new piping for your plumbing fixtures and appliances. Rather, these integrate seamlessly with your existing piping. They will need to simply be installed at your water heater and potentially a new outlet installed to power the recirculation pump. This is a fairly straightforward installation process that’s very affordable for most homeowners.

Higher Home Value

Another lesser-known benefit of a hot water recirculation system is that it can increase the overall value of your home. Homebuyers are looking for more convenience and comfort in the homes that they buy. A water recirculation system helps provide these desires and assists a home to be perceived as more valuable than a home without one of these systems.

Are There Any Notable Drawbacks to These Systems?

While water recirculation systems can provide many great benefits for your household, they do have a couple of drawbacks that you should be aware of. The most notable is the higher upfront cost to invest in these systems. This can deter some homeowners from getting them. Additionally, some people do note that their circulation pump can be a bit noisy. However, this varies from pump to pump.

In some household layouts, homeowners may find that powering a water recirculation system does slightly increase their energy bill. Furthermore, it’s important to note that the continual heating of water will require your water heater to function more often. This can eventually lead to a shorter overall lifespan of your water heater.

What Maintenance Do These Systems Require?

Just as with most other plumbing components throughout your home, a water recirculation system requires annual maintenance from a licensed plumber. They will examine the pump, lubricate it when necessary, and so forth to ensure the pump stays in good working condition.

How Long Do These Systems Last?

When thinking of a water recirculation system, it has a few different components. The most obvious are the recirculation pump and the hot water lines. The water lines can last 50 years or more depending on the material that is used. On the other hand, a recirculation pump will only last between 5 and 10 years. This estimated lifespan assumes the pump receives regular care. There are various factors that can affect the overall longevity of your water recirculation system including frequency of use, water quality, and exposure to chemicals in the water.

A Note on Pipe Insulation

While a hot water recirculation system is definitely a worthy investment for any homeowner looking to receive instant hot water, it isn’t the only investment you should be making. When insulation is put on hot water lines, it helps to trap heat. This means that your recirculation pump will have to run less often and will likely have a longer lifespan.

Trustworthy Hot Water Recirculation Service

MVP Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric offers hot water recirculation service for the Kansas City, KS community. Ask us about our water softener and water filtration systems, too! We can also assist with all your electrical, plumbing, and HVAC needs. Simply call us today to book your next service appointment.

company icon