water heater question

[dbdartman]

As for getting hot water to the bathroom that far from the hot water source: There is a pump system available that goes in,or as close as possible to, the bathroom. Suction side is on the hot water line, discharge on the cold water line & it has a heat activated switch on the hot line just before the pump. Before you fire up the shower you push the button to activate the pump. It draws hot water from the tank & discharges the cold water in the line back into the tank. When the hot water gets to the bathroom the heat activated switch kicks the pump off. Better than a recirc system because you're not running the pump unless you need hot water, plus you waste no water down the drain. I considered one of these systems when I built the new house 5-6 years ago. The furthest bathroom from the hot water source is just under 50', 3/4" main with 1/2" feeds. Takes about 90 seconds to get hot water to the furthest shower. For me, the circulator system wasn't worth the expense. If you're dead set on using a 1" supply that far away, it may be worth the expense to you as that's quite a bit of water to have to move. Personally I'd scale it back to 3/4".

 

[Sigarms]

As for getting hot water to the bathroom that far from the hot water source: There is a pump system available that goes in,or as close as possible to, the bathroom. Suction side is on the hot water line, discharge on the cold water line & it has a heat activated switch on the hot line just before the pump. Before you fire up the shower you push the button to activate the pump.

I assume you're talking about the Metlund system.

There is also a motion detector that you can instal instead of a "push button" to activate the pump.

Not cheap compared to a circ pump, but would save a lot of money if you had a water bill.

 

[Doc_Bob]

As for the distance, I would suggest plumbing in a return line on the hot water side and installing a circulator pump at the water heater-you will then have instant hot water. The pump can put on a programmable timer so it's not running all the time.

Where can I get such a pump?
Bob

 

[kenmac]

should be able to get a pump at any plumbing supply place. H.D., Lowe's for the timer or electrical supply place

 

[kennyd]

Where can I get such a pump?
Bob

Yup, plumbing supply house is the best...They do not waste any water either, I am not sure what dbdartman meant when he said this:

Better than a recirc system because you're not running the pump unless you need hot water, plus you waste no water down the drain.

It's a closed loop system that will save water since you do not have run the water waiting for it to get hot. The down side is that you have to run a extra pipe to the bathroom for the return, and that may not be easy in a existing structure.

 

[anojones]

We have a recirc system that runs the whole length of the house that is run by a TACO pump near the hot water tank. If runs 24 hrs but I think they make timer based ones as well to save some money by turning it off at night etc. I've had to replace the pump once when the system got contaminated and it's a little load (can hear it in the plumbing in the master bath). We get pretty much instant hotwater even at the fartherest outlet. This isn't a bad way to go if your putting in pipe anyway. I've seen the poin of service recirc pumps at costco- it seemed like a bit of a pain to reach under the sink and press a button to get hot water and there must be a delay for the warm water to get there- so that saves water going down the drain but not time. If your on a well and not paying for water directly, you could accomplish the same thing by running the water down the drain until warm- wastes water, but the pump uses electricity- so energy/water is lost somewhere. It would seem a 110V point of service heater might not be a bad idea if there is one that could get the temp up pretty quickly. I think I'll google for a timer for my system.

 

[kennyd]

Anojones, Why not put a timer on the pump you have? Would be very easy to do, and not expensive at all.

 

[kenmac]

These circulating pumps are nice but, if the water heater is gas your gas bill will increase from always heating the cold water that is returned. If your w.h. is elec. the same will be true. It will cost you to have hot water come out of the fixture when you turn it on

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been thinking of taking advantage of the heat in my attic space. I have a cold water line that crosses over the top of my shop to a spicket. When I turn on that water line, it's too hot to touch. That's free heat that I'm getting from the sun. I think I should be able to the same thing with a line that loops around my attic with cold water before it gets to my hot water heater. I haven't heard a good reason why this won't work, just that nobody has done it.

Instead of going under your foundation where the tempature will be constant and cooler then what you are heating the water, which will lower the temapture of the water in the lines. Can you go into the attic and take advantage of the heat from the sun? I know this isn't a year round free-be, but for most of the year, attic spaces are in the 120 to 140 range.

Eddie