Who doesn’t get tired of waiting for the hot water when you turn on the shower or faucet? Ever add up those minutes in a week to see how much time is wasted watching perfectly good water go down the drain? Speaking of “water going down the drain”, studies show that billions of gallons of water are wasted each year by households nationally while waiting for the hot water to show up. But what can we do to change this? None of us really love taking cold showers, unless its 95º and our air conditioning is out. 
Well, there is a solution.
Installing a hot water recirculation system will get the hot water to where you need it without the long wait. Rather than waiting on your home’s water pressure to get the hot water to you, a hot water recirculation system uses a pump to move the water quickly from the water heater to your sink or shower.
There are two types of systems to review. A dedicated, or demand, loop recirculating system has a hot water line looped throughout the house near each plumbing fixture. At each fixture a short pipe connects the loop to the hot water valve. A circulation pump is installed on a pipe near the water heater that keeps hot water continually circulating through this loop. So when you turn on your faucet or shower, you have hot water within seconds.
The second system is an integrated loop system. This system requires a pump that is installed at the water heater and a special manifold under the plumbing fixture farthest from the water heater. This system returns cooled water sitting in the hot water line back to the water heater through the cold water lines. This can raise the temperature of the cold water slightly, but will return to normal temperature quickly.
Some systems keep water recirculating constantly, or can be set up on a thermostat or timer. Since there are different options available, talk with your plumber to determine the best and most energy efficient for your household. Then enjoy the experience of no longer “waiting around” for hot water, and feel good that you are contributing to saving energy and our water supply.
Have more questions? Call us- we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!
