The Basic Concept
Every homeowner gets frustrated waiting for hot water -- but how many stop to think what happens to the 2-3 gallons of water that runs down the drain during the wait?
Those gallons of water are wasted, and in an average household that takes four showers per day, that can add up to thousands of gallons per year. Multiplied over a subdivision of 300 homes, a community can have millions of gallons of water go down the drain and into the wastewater system every single year (see state-by-state water consumption and costs).
In a region where water conservation issues are rising in importance with a rapidly expanding population, and a record economic expansion that has consumers looking for comfort, Hot Water Recirculation (HWR) pumps -- such as those manufactured by Grundfos Pumps Corporation -- are a good solution to this problem.
In typical plumbing, water is pumped from the water heater through the pipes to the tap. Once the tap is shut off, the water remaining in the pipes cools -- hence the familiar wait for hot water the next time the tap is opened.
Grundfos HWR pumps offer a solution to the problem by attaching to the water heater through the hot water pipe. By constantly circulating hot water through the pipes from the heater to the furthest fixture, the water in the pipes is always hot, and no water is wasted during the wait. In an average new home, HWR systems typically cost less than $1,000, including parts and installation. |
