tell me about hot water recirculation

[Gil Bang 25507]

So, I've got an old, sprawling, ranch-style house.  It takes a while for the shower to get hot, and, being in a desert, I'm concerned about the wasted water.   

I see that there are at least two types.  New ones, that go under the sink and force hot water back down the cold water side, and the whole-house models that require a dedicated return line.    My house has a raised foundation, and I know how to run PEX, so the dedicated line is certainly doable.   If going that route, I'd probably just do the return line from our bathroom, since the main concern is the shower.

Thoughts? 

 

 

[Dr Fear 1264]

So, I've got an old, sprawling, ranch-style house.  It takes a while for the shower to get hot, and, being in a desert, I'm concerned about the wasted water.   
I see that there are at least two types.  New ones, that go under the sink and force hot water back down the cold water side, and the whole-house models that require a dedicated return line.    My house has a raised foundation, and I know how to run PEX, so the dedicated line is certainly doable.   If going that route, I'd probably just do the return line from our bathroom, since the main concern is the shower.

Thoughts? 
 
 

What's your water heater situation?

[Gil Bang 25507]

2 hours ago, Dr Fear said:

20 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

So, I've got an old, sprawling, ranch-style house.  It takes a while for the shower to get hot, and, being in a desert, I'm concerned about the wasted water.   
I see that there are at least two types.  New ones, that go under the sink and force hot water back down the cold water side, and the whole-house models that require a dedicated return line.    My house has a raised foundation, and I know how to run PEX, so the dedicated line is certainly doable.   If going that route, I'd probably just do the return line from our bathroom, since the main concern is the shower.

Thoughts? 
 
 

What's your water heater situation?

Gas water heater adjacent to the crawlspace.  Main house only. Guesthouse has it's own gas WH

[Jkwellborn 6536]

Why don’t you put in a tankless unit for that shower?

[Kennythetiger 9274]

Quit being a pussy, and just get in the shower. 

[Gil Bang 25507]

8 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:

Why don’t you put in a tankless unit for that shower?

Because i don't want one of the ugly fuckers on the side of my house and there's no other place to locate it, and I expect that the re circulation to be a fraction of the cost of the tankless.  

[conVINCEd 21468]

Do you jerk off in the shower?  I might think twice about recirculating the water if you do.

[Agent 13 314]

Amazon. Easy to install. Works perfectly.

[Gil Bang 25507]

15 hours ago, Agent 13 said:

Amazon. Easy to install. Works perfectly.

do you have this one?   Home Depot carries this and it's one of the two types I mentioned in the OP.

 

So, this thing takes hot water, pressurizes it, and forces it back down the cold pipe?  

I've always heard that water heaters can have bacteria, which is why when cooking you always start with cold water.  If that's true, then this can contaminate the cold side?

[Upgrayedd 5743]

33 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

do you have this one?   Home Depot carries this and it's one of the two types I mentioned in the OP.

 

So, this thing takes hot water, pressurizes it, and forces it back down the cold pipe?  

I've always heard that water heaters can have bacteria, which is why when cooking you always start with cold water.  If that's true, then this can contaminate the cold side?

I always thought it was that hot water tended to cause the release of undesirable compounds from pipes.  Bacteria works too I suppose, but that’s what the gf uses to wash dishes.

[Agent 13 314]

Yes, I have this one. The sensor opens when water drops to 85 degrees and closes when it reaches 95. So it just starts you out at a higher temp. I had another type that was adjustable temp and could be started on demand but the entire setup went under the sink taking up lots of space and was noisy. Since it does bypass into the cold side I guess you could have contamination. I've recommended it to others and they all like them.