Most people find cold showers uncomfortable and an unwelcomed jolt, especially if you start the morning that way! Most people enjoy a nice warm shower, which explains the popularity of hot water in American households. Nearly 99% of all American homes with indoor plumbing feature hot water heaters. A reliable supply of hot water is seen by many as a necessity. The thought of living in a home without access to hot water seems archaic or unimaginable. Regardless of how much most of us hate the idea of a cold shower, we’ve all been in the shower when the hot water has started running low. Sometimes, we’re in the shower when the water is trying to warm up to comfortable levels. It can take plumbing systems in larger two-story homes as much as 2 minutes to route hot water to a bathroom. So, how can you help get the hot water to your shower faster?
Three Ways to Improve Your Hot Water Delivery
If the hot water is taking what feels like forever to arrive at your showerhead, there are several steps you can take to fix the problem. Delays in hot water delivery could be caused by a myriad of issues, so the best course of action would be to try a few solutions to find a combination that works best for you.
- Warm Up Your Pipes: When hot water is being routed from your water heater to your shower, it suffers from heat loss. However, adding insulation to your pipes can slow the rate of heat loss and keep your water warmer as it travels to its destination. Insulated pipes can keep your water two to four degrees warmer than pipes that aren’t insulated. When your pipes are cold, they pull heat from the water as it travels through them. If the pipes are already warm, the heat loss is decreased.
- Install a Recirculation Pump: Installing a hot water recirculation pump can eliminate your cold shower problems. Recirculation systems return unused water back to your water heater. It continues to recirculate this unused water until it’s needed. The pump keeps the hot water nearer to the area of your home where there is a problem with delivery times. Installing a recirculation system can reduce wait times and reduce water waste. Another way you can solve this problem using a recirculation pump is by also installing a pipe circulation loop near the shower furthest from your water heater. Unfortunately, the latter solution only works in newer homes. It’s important to note that if you choose a recirculation setup that constantly works to keep your hot water heated inside a loop, it could use more energy than your current plumbing setup. While you may conserve water this way, it may increase your energy spending. It’s important to weigh all your options before deciding.
- Install a Tankless Water Heater: When you are experiencing delays in your hot water delivery rate, installing an on-demand water heater can save time and increase the quantity of hot water available to fixtures throughout your home. For your fixtures furthest away from your water heater, it can reduce wait times considerably. It’s important to note that if your tankless water heater is placed in the same location as your current system, you may still experience a slight delay in hot water delivery. The wait time comparison between a traditional system and a tankless one should result in a noticeable improvement. A similar solution would be to add a point of use device in locations in your home suffering from hot water delivery delays.
Benefits of Adding a Hot Water Delivery Device
Adding a tankless water heater or a recirculation pump are great additions to your plumbing system that can improve hot water delivery issues within your home. If you are struggling through cold showers and sinks with freezing water as you wash your hands, these innovative systems can pump hot water directly to your fixture and improve your hot water delivery rate. If you are interested in making a change, you can work with the plumbing professionals at All City Plumbing to determine the right combination of products to meet your needs. In many cases, homeowners can improve hot water delivery rates without any major improvements.
Contact the professionals at All City Plumbing today at (909) 552-7550 to schedule an inspection with one of our plumbing experts.