Re: [GBlist] recirculators

["Steven Tjiang" <steve@tjiang.org>]

Another solution is to locate the main hot water heater near
the major hot water fixtures: tubs and showers.    This will
work well if you have your bathrooms all located near each
other, e.g.  stacked on different floors.  Then for fixtures far
from the main hot water heater, install a tankless hot water
heater.  If you have several bathrooms located far away
from each other, then I would consider more than one
tankless water heater.  Multiple tankless seems like a more
energy-efficient, though more expensive, solution than a recirculator.

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Seth Melchert" <dmelchert@earthlink.net>
Cc: <greenbuilding@crest.org>
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2001 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: [GBlist] recirculators


> Sounds fishy to me. Recirc loops are installed for convenience, not
overall
> efficiency. Does he have any references to support his claims? Think of
the
> energy lost throught the water circulating in the loop 24 hours a day, but
used
> perhaps a couple hours a day. If you have a predictable life style, you
can
> install a timer as well, but then the loop system is defeated should you
ever
> need hot water during an off time. I have heard of (but never installed)
> on-demand loop pumps, but this seems odd, to start running a loop when you
need
> water, when you have to wait anyway.
>
> Loops are relatively easy to install with the other pipes, plumbers make a
few
> extra bucks (my plumbers all root for them), but efficiency is not in the
> equasion here.
>
> Seth
>
> Sacie H Lambertson wrote:
>
> > We are building a long house (about 65').  My plumber is telling me that
it
> > is a good idea to include a 'recirculator' on the hot water pipes to get
> > faster hot water to the fixtures located at opposite ends of the house
> > (water heater in the middle) and that in the long run this addition will
> > also save money because cold water will not have to be heated.  I plan
to
> > insulate the hot water pipe (PEX), recirculator or not.  Comments about
the
> > money saving angle appreciated.   Sacie Lambertson
> >
> > _
>
>
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>


______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________