Wasted water!

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Old 06-20-2022, 06:12 AM
ohioshooter ohioshooter is offline
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Default Wasted water!

Is there any solution to having to wait for warm water. I'm used to a water heater with a hot water recirculator which gave me hot water in seconds. These on demand heaters waste way too much water besides the fact that you have to wait several minutes to wash your face. Take the time waiting and multiple it times thousand of homes and we are wasting an enormous amount of water.
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Old 06-20-2022, 06:14 AM
Two Bills Two Bills is offline
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Originally Posted by ohioshooter View Post
Is there any solution to having to wait for warm water. I'm used to a water heater with a hot water recirculator which gave me hot water in seconds. These on demand heaters waste way too much water besides the fact that you have to wait several minutes to wash your face. Take the time waiting and multiple it times thousand of homes and we are wasting an enormous amount of water.
Fill a container while waiting for hot water to arrive, use it to water tubs and plants.
Works for us.
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Old 06-20-2022, 06:17 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is online now
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It won't save water, but you can reduce the wait time by more than half by turning on the sink faucet and the shower at the same time.
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Old 06-20-2022, 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Two Bills View Post
Fill a container while waiting for hot water to arrive, use it to water tubs and plants.
Works for us.
That is what I do.
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Old 06-20-2022, 06:26 AM
MartinSE MartinSE is offline
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There is a method of recirculating the hot water to keep it hot at the shower or faucet. It is slightly different depending if you have a tank or tankless heater.

If you are a DIY type google Hot Water Recirculating, it is not hard. If you are not a DIY type, any good plumber can do it for a few hundred dollars (just a guess, I did my own and it was around $300 total and an hour or two).
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Old 06-20-2022, 07:26 AM
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There is a method of recirculating the hot water to keep it hot at the shower or faucet. It is slightly different depending if you have a tank or tankless heater.

If you are a DIY type google Hot Water Recirculating, it is not hard. If you are not a DIY type, any good plumber can do it for a few hundred dollars (just a guess, I did my own and it was around $300 total and an hour or two).
We have built 4 homes before. Two had basements with water tank heaters with recirculating hot water. Please explain how to recirculate hot water with a on demand heater and plumbing below the concrete floor. Thanks
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Old 06-20-2022, 07:26 AM
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Originally Posted by ohioshooter View Post
Is there any solution to having to wait for warm water. I'm used to a water heater with a hot water recirculator which gave me hot water in seconds. These on demand heaters waste way too much water besides the fact that you have to wait several minutes to wash your face. Take the time waiting and multiple it times thousand of homes and we are wasting an enormous amount of water.
We're in the same situation. It might not work with a tankless heater or may void the warranty. Seems like people are using a type of recirculator that installs under the farthest sink and pushes water from the hot line into the cold line. A lot different than the actual loop recirculator. If I had room in the garage, I'd almost consider getting a tank heater just to get a real recirculating pump.
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Old 06-20-2022, 07:36 AM
ohioshooter ohioshooter is offline
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We're in the same situation. It might not work with a tankless heater or may void the warranty. Seems like people are using a type of recirculator that installs under the farthest sink and pushes water from the hot line into the cold line. A lot different than the actual loop recirculator. If I had room in the garage, I'd almost consider getting a tank heater just to get a real recirculating pump.
We were going to build a house but ended up buying a 95% finished home. We are living in a rental for the time being. When we tried to spec a build they didn't want to furnish a tank heater and wouldn't begin to talk recirculate.
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Old 06-20-2022, 07:47 AM
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This topic has been discussed numerous times. On the Search bar above, type "Grundflos and Watts" to see suggestions for a solution. We've had a Watts recirculating pump for several years.
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Old 06-20-2022, 08:00 AM
ohioshooter ohioshooter is offline
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Originally Posted by Carla B View Post
This topic has been discussed numerous times. On the Search bar above, type "Grundflos and Watts" to see suggestions for a solution. We've had a Watts recirculating pump for several years.
Just a quick question, do you have an on demand water heater?
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Old 06-20-2022, 09:41 AM
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Even with our electric water heater it takes a long time to get hot water to a sink or shower. We turn the shower on, go do something and come back for the shower. Anyone we have asked has the same situation. It is like they put a mile of piping under the slab so the water to travel before it gets to you.
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Old 06-20-2022, 10:01 AM
Michael G. Michael G. is offline
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Bunny huggers, Environmental and consumer groups are always preaching to us on saving water,
but yet they allow these homes to be built and wastewater by the gallons in TV.

Talk about putting the cart before the horse
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Old 06-20-2022, 10:02 AM
Carla B Carla B is offline
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Originally Posted by ohioshooter View Post
Just a quick question, do you have an on demand water heater?
Husband says, "No," it is a conventional heater with a thermostat. He is a retired electrician and installed the pump timer at the shower so that the pump is turned on only when it is time to take a shower.
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Old 06-20-2022, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by ohioshooter View Post
We were going to build a house but ended up buying a 95% finished home. We are living in a rental for the time being. When we tried to spec a build they didn't want to furnish a tank heater and wouldn't begin to talk recirculate.
That’s odd. When we built our house they installed a recirculating tankless water heater and plumbed in the return line. We went through design in December 2020 so maybe things have changed.
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Old 06-20-2022, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Kenswing View Post
That’s odd. When we built our house they installed a recirculating tankless water heater and plumbed in the return line. We went through design in December 2020 so maybe things have changed.
We never know. What is a 95% finished home? I would guess 5% means the buyer chooses the color of the interior paint. Changes? I would guess most anything can be changed so long if it is legal and on code-IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
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