A Long Wait For Hot Water

Discussion in 'Home Improvement' started by Hal Pollner, May 26, 2018.

  1. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2018
    Messages:
    6,161
    Likes Received:
    4,368
    Of our three bathrooms, the Master bath is almost 100 feet away from the water heater, so I have to let it run for 30 seconds before it's comfortably warm.

    This is wasteful.

    The other bathrooms get their hot water very quickly.

    That's all...
    Harry
     
    #1
    Frank Sanoica likes this.
  2. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    9,297
    Likes Received:
    10,619
    @Hal Pollner
    I got quite an education on this sort of thing when I began working Maintenance at a big Sears store. Hot water is constantly pumped in a loop from the water heater to every faucet in the building, through uninsulated pipes! Thus, instant hot water at the tap! Crazy!
    Frank
     
    #2
  3. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,917
    My bathroom in my master bedroom suite is farthest from the water heater and it takes the longest to get hot water there.

    I get it quickly in the kitchen.
     
    #3
  4. Tim Burr

    Tim Burr Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2016
    Messages:
    1,260
    Likes Received:
    2,619
    @Hal Pollner Hal, you could try a Hot Water recirculation system for your problem.

    Our home in Nebraska had a problem with the distance from master bath and the water heater.

    I installed one made by Watts, fixed the problem and saved us from all that wasted water
    waiting for it to get hot.
    The newer ones come with a timer if you want to set it for certain times.
    Easy to install.

    Hope this helps.

    [​IMG]
     
    #4
    Don Alaska and Chrissy Cross like this.
  5. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2018
    Messages:
    11,069
    Likes Received:
    20,468

    This is great if the pipes are insulated, but otherwise it is like running a hot water heating system all the time and can be very energy hungry.
     
    #5
    Frank Sanoica likes this.
  6. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,631
    I wouldn't mind having mine set up so that it wouldn't heat the water until I needed heated water. I am sick of paying for the oil that it burns keeping water hot when I'm not using it. I wouldn't mind waiting.
     
    #6
    Frank Sanoica likes this.
  7. Tom Galty

    Tom Galty Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2018
    Messages:
    1,059
    Likes Received:
    1,495
    #7
  8. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    9,297
    Likes Received:
    10,619
    There is a "hot water on demand" unit which mounts under a vanity or sink, I believe, and supplies hot water in small quantity very quickly. Electric, I think, but know nothing more about them.
    Frank
     
    #8
  9. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2018
    Messages:
    11,069
    Likes Received:
    20,468
    When I lived in Japan, each sink had a little on-demand hot water heater. It was very nice, but it was obvious and not "decorative". Very efficient, though. The toilet tanks had sinks built into the tops, so you washed your hands in the cold water that filled the toilet tank.
     
    #9
    Frank Sanoica likes this.
  10. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2016
    Messages:
    8,565
    Likes Received:
    12,083
    In our cozy Acadiana Cottage our hot water heater is located at a distance almost equal from the kitchen and bathroom...so I am happy to say we don't have this problem. The problem we do have is that the hot water heater is not a large one so when I had my hair real long I often found I was pretty much out of hot water by the time I finished shampooing and conditioning my hair. I fixed that problem though by just cutting my hair to shoulder length. :)
     
    #10
    Don Alaska likes this.
  11. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2018
    Messages:
    6,161
    Likes Received:
    4,368
    #11
  12. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    13,054
    Likes Received:
    24,630
    We went tankless about 6 or 7 months ago but there is still a wait. I am going to install another unit in the bathroom which will be much quicker and easier on the water bill. They do not cost that much if you shop around but the downside is that the one we have and the one I am going to buy is 220vts electric.
    If you have some extra room on your box, to me it’s the only way to go.
    You’re not constantly heating up water nor constantly eating up a bunch of electric or gas that comes with a standard water heater.
     
    #12
  13. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2018
    Messages:
    6,161
    Likes Received:
    4,368
    To all:

    It is my understanding that the hot water supplied to our 4 bathroom sinks, kitchen sink, dishwasher, 2 bathtubs, 2 showers, and our washing machine is all supplied from a single copper pipe from our 50-gallon water heater in the garage.

    I never heard of a return line that keeps the water circulating from the water heater to all those points of use.

    I'm a retired engineer, so feel free to explain this miracle to me in your most technical terms!

    As ever,
    Harold
    243.JPG
     
    #13
    Last edited: May 28, 2018
  14. Tim Burr

    Tim Burr Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2016
    Messages:
    1,260
    Likes Received:
    2,619
    The Watts system I have installed, works with a Bridge sensing valve placed under the farthest
    sink and returns a small amount of hot water to the cold water pipe when it senses the
    hot water temp goes below 98°. ( tankless shown, but will work on tank water heaters )

    [​IMG]

    The timer is set for the periods the room is most used, or just leave the pump on all the time.
    The operational cost, to me, was minimal.

    The ease of installation and the instant hot water to the bathroom sold me.

    Had one in my house for about 5 years. Never a problem.
    How the sensing valve is installed under the farthest sink:
    [​IMG]

    Hope this makes sense. Lots of videos and better explanations out there.
     
    #14
    Bobby Cole and Thomas Stearn like this.
  15. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2015
    Messages:
    55,669
    Likes Received:
    23,302
    Thirty seconds is not long.
     
    #15

Share This Page