I'm having a problem with the time it takes for the water in my fixtures(kitchen faucet,shower valves,bathroom faucets) to get hot.I've been living in my newly built cottage(at ease floorplan) since early september.I complained to the warranty office who had the builder call.He said that's the way they build the houses and if I wanted I could call a plumber and get it fixed but it would be costly.I also addressed this problem at an event where water conservation was a topic.They basically said that's the way it is also. Anyone else having this problem?

[ceejay]

We have this problem as well. It takes forever for hot water in my kitchen and even longer for it to reach the master shower. I assumed it was because the shower is the farthest room from the water heater in the garage...I am very naive when it comes to this stuff!
We had the same problem in our house in Jersey (again, I assumed everyone had the same problem, but you know what they say about assuming!) so I have just accepted the long wait, but hate to waste all that water going down the drain

[Talk Host]

In each of your faucets is a "flow restrictor." It limits the amount of water that can be delivered to the faucet discharge. In most cases it reduces the flow to about 2.5 gallons per minute. That also reduces the flow of hot water to the faucet.

Usually that restrictor is a "washer" or screen threaded into the pipe nipple somewhere in the faucet. Most handy homeowners can remove them themselves. A plumber certainly can or a handyman can.

There is no law against removing them, it's a water conservation thing. But, if you have to let the faucet run for three minutes to get hot water, where's the conservation there.

Once the flow restrictors are removed, your water pressure will increase and the hot water will arrive at the faucet considerably faster. In our master shower, it was nearly 3 minutes with the restrictor and 45 seconds without it.

All faucets now come from the factory with the restrictor installed. It takes 30 seconds to remove them. You will use more energy without the restrictor.

Click here: How to remove a flow restrictor

[drdodge]

You can buy a device that will give quick hot water to the fatherest fgacuet away from the hot water heater . It usees the existing water lines. The unit itself cost arount $200.00 Plus installation. They can be bought at Lowes or Home Depot. Henson Home Services has installed a number of theses devices.Phone # is 352.347.8043.
drd

[Carla B]

What is the name of the device, how big is it, and where are they installed? It takes 3 gallons of water to reach our master shower before we get hot water...I know because last summer my husband ran the water in a bucket. He then carried the bucket outside to water the grass, but that is a BIG hassle, especially when some spills on the way.

[OpusX1]

Talk Host, is the flow restricter located in the shower valve or shower head?

For almost instant hot water have a plumber install a circulating pump on your hot water line. We have two pumps up north because of the size of our home and the number of baths, 6 1/2. You get hot water fast but it cost about $15-$20 a month to run the pump. We put our pump on a timer to cut down on the electric cost.

[golfnut]

The farther you are from the hot water the longer it is going to take to get there it's not complicated. If it takes 3 minutes for it to get to the master bath, then turn on the shower first, brush your teeth and when you are done the hot water will be there. removing the restrictor in my opinion is just an unecessary waste of resources, both water and gas or electric....gn

[SteveFromNY]

I'm with golf nut. The pipes are filled with cold water. Say there is fifty feet of pipe between the heater and the faucet. If you turn on the hot water, all fifty feet of cold water has to empty out of the pipe before the hot can arrive at the faucet. If you remove the restrictor the hot will arrive sooner, but only because the pipes empty faster with the restrictor out of the way.
Anything that puts a heat source closer to the faucet will speed it up, but you have to keep the water hot and that will cost some energy $'s.

Our Gardenia master bath shower is on the other side of the wall from the water heater. Water in the shower is ready in seconds. The guest bath is on the other side of the house, and guess what? It takes time to get hot water there.

[l2ridehd]

The same pipe that brings hot water to your shower brings it to your sink. I go to the sink, turn on the hot water and brush my teeth while it is cold. Once it goes hot, I move it to cold, finish brushing, turn on the shower, now hot in a couple seconds and take a shower. No wasted water, no added pumps, no restrictors removed, no new gadgets, and life is good.

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

I'm with golf nut. The pipes are filled with cold water. Say there is fifty feet of pipe between the heater and the faucet. If you turn on the hot water, all fifty feet of cold water has to empty out of the pipe before the hot can arrive at the faucet. If you remove the restrictor the hot will arrive sooner, but only because the pipes empty faster with the restrictor out of the way.
Anything that puts a heat source closer to the faucet will speed it up, but you have to keep the water hot and that will cost some energy $'s.

Our Gardenia master bath shower is on the other side of the wall from the water heater. Water in the shower is ready in seconds. The guest bath is on the other side of the house, and guess what? It takes time to get hot water there.

My closest fixture is the slop sink in the garage and although it takes less time than the furthest fixture away it still takes a minute or more to heat up

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan

My closest fixture is the slop sink in the garage and although it takes less time than the furthest fixture away it still takes a minute or more to heat up

Bosox - I never actually timed it. But it sounds like we agree in principle at least. Maybe not about baseball teams though!

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

Bosox - I never actually timed it. But it sounds like we agree in principle at least. Maybe not about baseball teams though!

What I'm trying to say is even at the clpssest fixture it takes too long. Go Sox!!

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan

What I'm trying to say is even at the clpssest fixture it takes too long. Go Sox!!

I get it. I'm just saying the short time - I really think it's less than a minute - was OK for me.

Figured you'd have more patience all those years waiting for a title.
I couln't resist - sorry!

[drdodge]

The unit that goes on the hot water line from the hot Water heater is made by WATTS. They make a lot of stuff for the plumbing trade. Plug in Watts on your search engine and it will show you a page and you can read all about it

drd

[faithfulfrank]

There are at least 4 different makes of these recirculating pumps....Watts, Grundfos, Laing, etc. They work by circulating your hot water line so there is always hot water closer to your faucet(s).

This is solved a number of ways. You would not have this problem if the plumber who did the initial plumbing just added a return loop....would have cost next to nothing at the time. Sad.

You can also do this without a pump. There are thermostatic valves that just easily install without a plumber underneath the farthest sink from your faucet. "Hot water lobster" is one such type. There are also less expensive ones. They may not work quite as well as the pump type, but it is an easy DIY install without needing a $200 pump. I do believe the pump type is better.

In my Florida home, I noticed that my kitchen faucet seemed to take a long time, but the other ones seemed fine. I got a great deal, ($50) for a new 4 gallon superinsulated electric water heater that plugged into a 110 outlet. I installed it underneath the kitchen sink. We have a big corner sink base, so there was plenty of room. We now have instant hot water for the kitchen, and the wife is quite happy. Our master bath is pretty close to the hot water tank, so that is fine, and the guest bath is hardly ever used, so for me it was not worth installing a recirculating pump.

A return loop or a recirculating pump is definately one of the things folks that are building a new home should insist on. Sadly, many folks do not do their homework before having a house built.

Frank.