I'll stay with what we've got.

Energy is energy is energy.

I brush my teeth using cold water from the hot water tap. After 30-45 seconds, I'm done brushing and the hot water has arrived. And it didn't cost me anything.

In our house we run 3 gals. of water before the water gets hot in the shower. I know this because for a time we used to capture it and pour it on the parched lawn. But it was too hard to do, so now it just goes down the drain.

Waste
 

So at the min. 6 gallons a day X 7 days a week x 4 weeks a month x 12 months per year and aprox 2016 Gallons a year go down the drain.

What does this cost for fresh water billing including the sewer tax rate?

A circulation pump cost $350 installed. And 5 cents every hour it has to run. But is only runs a couple hours per day.

Bill where are you!:popcorn::popcorn:

From the Watts web site
An average home has 125 feet of 3/4" pipe. 125 feet of 3/4" pipe holds 3.14 gallons of
water. If hot water is used 10 times per day, 31 gallons of water is wasted running the faucets/
shower to get hot water. In a year, this equals to 11,461 gallons of water. 25.2 million homes
waste approximately 300 billion gallons of water annually.

I would not give a darn if this was my present home on a well with septic. But were in Florida and charged for water to come out of the tap and then we get charged again to watch it go down the drain. Thats like filling you cars fuel tank watching three gallons run on the ground before the tank starts to accepts the fuel. Oh well that $12 gone never used wasted. energy is energy is energy. Not buying that ?

Looking at this calculation

your wasted water in one year of 2016 gallons will cost $12 in year or a buck a month.

Do you get the same result?

Herv, I've stayed out of the thread as you initially were looking for people who had a hot water recirculator installed. We almost did it when our current was built but opted out - had to draw the "financial line" on a few thing...... :)

My $.0295 worth: You can run the math any one of a number of ways to determine if it's a financially feasible thing to do. But I think what it'll really come down to is whether or not you want the convenience of having hot water all ready to go in the far reaches of your home.

Various ways to initiate the start up of the pump as some have already mentioned. I've also heard of people building a foot switch into the toe board of a cabinet - just tap it with your foot to fire up the pump.

Also keep in mind that if you're wanting cold water available towards the end of the pump cycle, say if you're wanting to brush your teeth before hopping into the shower.......you're going to have the reverse issue! The hot water side pumps into the cold water line - once the hot water gets to the pump, you'll have both lines being hot til you run the cold water for a while.

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable! :D

Bill :)

One more thought here about how long it would take to payback the investment. Measure in if you are a full time resident or a part timer. That in itself would be the determinate factor, at least for me.

We're seriously considering this device. Had not heard of the switch to turn on the pump immediately prior to needing hot water. That sounds like a great idea, but seems like it would take some extensive electrical work.

We were also told that the cross-over pipe at the distant faucet has a valve inside to stop the flow once the hot water reaches it. The pump at the tank does not create any pressure or else there must be a sensor to detect when the valve at the faucet closes.

For the few pennies a day not sure I want the water from a hot water tank ingested, it has metals, bacteria and other contaminants, that can't grow in cold water.

In fact you're supposed to run water for 60 seconds to flush most contaminates from water standing in the pipes.

Also drain the hot water tank once a year to flush out rust and scale that accumulates in the bottom, when you turn on the faucet you stir up the bottom and that crap comes out the faucet.

And just where do you suppose all those things come from? Could it be from the cold water going into the tank???

Not really, it comes primarily from the heating element itself and sacrificial anode, ever look inside an old one? they get pretty nasty.

That's why they should be turned off drained fill, drain again, once a year.
Try it you can catch the water coming out and look at the junk in bucket.

This is something any home owner can do no plumber needed

This Old House video

Hot water can grow bacteria.

The source cold water is tested I assume daily

Greg, I have zero experience with the following product......but it does seem to have a very simple interface to allow manual activation by an external switch of your choosing:

Hot Water Circulator

Bill :)

water recirculator
 

I found this that does not use electric:

Hot Water Lobster Instant Hot Water Valve Home Page

Now I'm building a new house within a year. :MOJE_whot:

The problem with all recirculating solutions is that hot water enters your cold water supply to bring the hot water not used back to the hot water heater.

Therefore you have hot hot water but lukewarm cold water. Not so pleasant.

I read about a solution somewhere as I have been researching this.

You add another line from the fixture you want instant hot water water back to your hot water heater. So instead of connecting to the cold water supply you connect to this third dummy line.

Just wonder what TV would charge to add the third line?

I also found an electric pump that cost $179 to do this. I forgot to book mark so I need to find it again.

With this pump you need an outlet under your sink. It can be automated as well for under $30.

Picture this, you wake up, press the remote by the side of your bed and in about a minute or so you have hot water. If you have the third line you have no waste and cold water.

Cool
 

Cool! Well I mean its HOT! Keep us posted please.

I wonder why I have never had this probelm in any of our northern homes?

Seems like a Southern Home Build Thing?

Just build again
 

Looks like waste the water or its easier to sell the home and return to NY. As per a previous post maybe te flow restrictor in the shower head is the main problem? Never had one of those before.