Hot Water Circulators / Hot Water Recirculators
Efficient and Inefficient Hot Water Circulation
Comfort Valve Hot Water Circulators: How "Normally Open" Comfort Valves Sacrifice Comfort, Control and Savings
A closer look at thermostatic valve operations reveal why homeowners experience excessively high monthly gas bills and long waits for cold water with these comfort valve hot water circulator systems. Known problems exist with passive "normally-open" thermostatic comfort valve controlled circulation systems according to nearly 100 professionals attending the 2006 Southern California Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors trade show. Closer examination reveals the costly inefficiencies inherent with these systems.
Comfort valve hot water circulators have a pump installed atop the hot water heater connected to either the hot water supply or cold water supply pipes. Many who install these systems don't realize that heater mounted pumps often have narrower connection fittings then the water heaters actual pipe. Unfortunately, narrower inside diameter fittings reduces flow capacity or amount of "simultaneous hot water uses" the hot water heater can fulfill. An important fact also overlooked is the fact that these hot water circulator systems require continuous pumping (continuous energy consumption) operations to maintain "normally-open" thermostatic crossover valves closed. Thermostatic comfort valves / sensor valves connect a homes hot and cold water lines together to allow a passage way for non-hot water to exit from the hot water line and into the cold water line on it's way back to the water heater.. Materials within these valves expand / contract from water temperature changes, opening and closing the valve. These "normally open" valves continuously remain open unless 95F degree water continuously contacts the valve.
COMFORT VALVE HOT WATER CIRCULATOR SYSTEM
FLUSHING TOILET OR ANY USE OF COLD WATER
DROPS COLD LINE WATER PRESSURE LOWER THAN HOT LINE WATER PRESSURE
THE HIGHER WATER PRESSURE IN HOT WATER LINE FORCES INEFFICIENT
CROSSOVER SIPHONING AND COSTLY REOCCURRING DEMAND ON THE
HOT WATER HEATER UNTIL VALVE CLOSES FROM 95F WATER
Anyone who's experienced shower-shock when someone flushed a toilet understands the influence water pressure has on a plumbing system. Similarly, any use of cold water inside or outside of the home significantly drops the pressure throughout the homes cold water lines. The hot water lines pressure unaffected by the cold water usage, remains considerably higher thereby forcing any water <95F degrees (temperature needed to closes these valves) out of the hot water line and rapidly through the normally-open thermostatic valves and into the cold water lines until either, cold water usage ends or hot water from the water heater (not needed during cold water use) reaches and closes the open thermostatic valve. This costly inefficiency repeatedly increases the demand on the water heater as very cold city water repeatedly enters the water heater to replace the water which crossed over / siphoned into the cold water line during the cold water usage. Hence, watering the lawn, flushing a toilet or any fluctuations in water pressure in the cold water line increases the demand on the homes water heater. Resulting in significantly higher monthly gas bills which quickly consumes any money saved by purchasing these cheaper systems as well as reducing the life span of the water heater. Additionally, this inefficiency also results in users receiving warmish water out their cold faucets while water is wasted down the drain waiting until water hot enough reaches and closes the "open" crossover valve before receiving water exclusively from their cold water line.
SIGNS OF AN "INEFFICIENT" HOT WATER CIRCULATOR SYSTEM
Flushing a toilet, watering lawn or other cold water usage repeatedly causes demand on the water heater. (caused by water siphoning into cold water line from hot water line due to poor crossover control)
Wasting water waiting for "cold" water until normally-open crossover valve closes, preventing warm water siphoning into cold line
Continuously running pumps during scheduled-on periods
Inconvenience of waiting for hot water during Scheduled-off time periods
Reduced flow capacity (due to narrow fittings on heater mounted pumps)
Inadequate Low flow pumps that don't move water quick enough to work during cold seasons or cold climates (foundation imbedded plumbing)
Non-insulated hot water pipes increases heat loss
Imagine your disbelief after you discover the hot water circulator system you just installed increases the demand on your water heater when cold water is used inside or outside of your home (i.e. flushing the toilet, outside water use / watering lawn / sprinklers, cold rinsing fruits/vegetables, cold wash laundry, etc.) Unbelievable? How? Anytime cold water is used the water pressure throughout the homes "cold water lines" instantly drop to a much lower level then the water pressure in the homes hot water lines. This results in higher pressured water in the hot water line to pass through "open" thermostatic crossover valves into the cold water line where it exits out the then open cold water faucet or where ever the cold water usage is occurring. Reoccurring inefficient hot water line siphoning during cold water use repeatedly adds demand on the water heater since cold city water simultaneously enters the water heater to replace that which siphoned into the cold water line through the "OPEN" thermostatic valve. EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY INTENDED TO USE / NEEDED COLD WATER.
HOT WATER CIRCULATOR COMFORT YOU CONTROL. . . A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT?
|
PREMIUM SOLUTION - HW YOU CONTROL |
CHEAP SOLUTION - HW THAT CONTROLS YOU |
|
| COMFORT |
hot water at a comfort temp you control / choose |
Unsure / coin toss ... |
| CONVENIENCE |
Endless control options plus scheduled-off convenient anytime "single-cycle" override |
Timer or Always-On |
| CONTROL |
Cold water usage delivers ONLY water from cold line |
Cold water use delivers warm mix of hot and cold line water (bleed-over / siphoning) |
| PUMP ENERGY |
Temperature based "cyclic pumping" during scheduled-on periods - only pumping when needed |
Non-stop continuously operating pump |
| EFFICIENCY |
Unmatched industry record performance / savings |
Toilets Flushing, Lawn watering, etc. consumes water from both hot and cold water linesuses both hot line and cold line water* |
| TECHNOLOGY |
Normally-CLOSED Positive Flow Restriction. Crossover only occurs during an active pumping |
"Normally-OPEN" crossover valve permits siphoning of hot water line water during cold water usage events that cause drop in cold water line water pressure.* |
| MAINTENANCE |
DuPont Calcium proof Manifold = Zero Maintenance and no mineral buildups (the cause of most failures in the industry) |
Probable "Periodic - Cleaning Requirements" often found in super small / fine print in manufactures install guide / supplemental papers |
| LIFECYCLE |
minimal pump operations, hard water durable, stainless steel components, historically typical 8+ years lifecycle |
Miss a required cleaning / maintenance (voids warranty), Continuous pump operations, 1 to ? years lifecycle |
*when less than 94F water leaves crossover valves open
SIGNS OF A GREENER MORE "EFFICIENT" HOT WATER CIRCULATOR SYSTEM
No long waits for hot water AND cold water comfort
Only when needed does crossover occur
Crossover flow controlled / no hot water line siphoning during cold water usage
Owner selectable activating control type best matching their lifestyle (timer, motion sensor, push-button)
Minimal pump operations through temperature based cyclic pumping reduces electrical consumption
Provides off-scheduled convenience via single-cycle / on-demand operations
Adjustable comfort temperature to optimize comfort and minimize water waste
Receives temperature values from "water contacting" temperature sensor rather then a less accurate pipe clamp-on sensor
Insulate hot water pipes to minimize heat loss
Simplify installation to do-it-yourself level of complexity to save labor costs
Optimize system settings to maximize performance and comfort
No maintenance requirements (Calcium proof components to prevent calcium buildup, clog failures)
Zone-Control by using addition RedyTemps (guest rooms, as occupied zones, etc.)
HOT WATER CIRCULATOR with EFFICIENT CONTROL
Hot Water Circulator: Superior Comfort begins with Efficient Valve Control
Installing a RedyTemp hot water circulator which incorporates a "NORMALLY CLOSED" solenoid valve, prevents wasteful and costly siphoning of water from the hot water line accept during an "active pumping cycle". Water in the hot water line stays in the hot water line, minimizing demand on the water heater while maintaining greater cold water comfort.
RedyTemp is engineered with two separate flow control devices to prevent costly hot water line siphoning. Utilizing a calcium proof / hard water friendly check valve and a stainless steel "normally closed" solenoid valve the RedyTemp prevents inefficient water siphoning from the hot water line to the cold water line. Thereby, eliminating the discomfort and energy waste that occurs with thermostatic crossover valves and one-way check valves. Energy minded homeowners appreciate RedyTemp's temperature-based cyclic pumping operations which increases a pumps lifecycle and reduces electrical energy consumption by pumping only as needed to maintain temperature, compared to continuously operating pumps required by thermostatic valve systems.
AVOID THE MOST INEFFICIENT SYSTEM
Thermal convection systems
Thermal convection systems rely on the movement of water caused when heated water contacts cooler water. These systems waste the most energy because, the crossover flow occurs endlessly, throughout the day and night, continually drawing water from your water heater. As well as depriving the homeowner of their cold water comfort..