| If you are looking for home improvement products, | | | | The cold hot water in the hot water pipes left over |
| here is a great combination. Tankless hot water is | | | | from the last use gets sent to the water heater inlet |
| energy efficient but it wastes water. Adding a hot | | | | through the cold water pipes. Instant hot water when |
| water demand system will make your tankless unit | | | | you turn on the hot water faucet, and no water was |
| water efficient as well. It will make turn your plumbing | | | | wastefully run down the drain. |
| system into a green hot water system. | | | | |
| | | | | Traditional hot water recirculation systems with their |
| Tankless water heaters are more energy efficient | | | | low powered pumps won't produce enough water |
| than standard tank type water heaters because they | | | | flow in the pipes to turn on a tankless heater. Most |
| don't have the standby losses of a big tank of hot | | | | tankless water heaters won't work with traditional |
| water. By eliminating the standby losses associated | | | | circulating systems and can void the warranty of the |
| with storage water heaters they can save about 20 | | | | tankless heaters. |
| percent of the energy consumed for heating water | | | | |
| when compared with storage heaters. | | | | Hot water demand systems are different. Since |
| | | | | demand systems are activated only when hot water |
| However, the tankless units also take longer to deliver | | | | is used they do not cause the tankless heater to cycle |
| hot water to your fixtures. For the water to be heated | | | | on and off over and over as is the case with |
| to full temperature it must pass completely through the | | | | traditional recirculation pumps. Demand systems do not |
| heat exchanger all the way from the inlet to the outlet. | | | | affect the warranties for the tankless units. |
| The water in the center of the heat exchanger doesn't | | | | |
| ever reach full temperature before it exits the heater. | | | | Not all demand systems are created equal and there |
| | | | | are models that don't have enough power to turn on a |
| Thus tankless waters take longer to get hot water to | | | | tankless water heater. Be sure to find a pump that has |
| the fixture. A lot more water is being run down the | | | | the power to you need to send at least the ½ to |
| drain while you are waiting. Tankless water heaters | | | | ¾ gallons per minute normally required to turn on the |
| really need a hot water demand system to address | | | | heater. Longer pipe runs require more horsepower |
| this problem. | | | | from the pump to produce the required flow, so take |
| | | | | that into account as well. |
| Hot water demand systems typically consist of a | | | | |
| pump located at the furthest sink from the water | | | | Add a hot water demand system to your water |
| heater and connected to the hot and cold water lines. | | | | heater and you will conserve energy, water, and |
| When hot water is “demanded” at the fixture | | | | money. At the same time you are turning your |
| you activate the system. The demand system speeds | | | | plumbing system green, and you will be reducing your |
| the water from the water heater to the fixture at high | | | | carbon footprint. You will feel good every time you use |
| velocity and shuts off when the hot water reaches | | | | hot water. |
| the pump. | | | | |
| | | | | Finally, water conservation without inconvenience! |