What is dedicated return line?

In a traditional hot water recirculating system, there is a dedicated return line for the hot water pipes, which runs from the furthest bathroom or fixture back to the water heater. Near the water heater area, a recirculating pump pulls the water from the furthest fixture back into the water heater, creating a loop.
Feb 28, 2022

Does a recirculating pump need a return line?





Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Part 5: Recirculation WITHOUT a Return Line. Not every domestic hot water recirculation system requires a return line. For residential and light commercial applications, there is another way to save water and maintain hot water at the last fixture.
Sep 4, 2014

What is a dedicated hot water return line?

A dedicated return line system uses a return pipe from the last sink back to the hot-water tank or tankless heater. The homeowner needs to know if he or she has a hot-water tank or a tankless system, and a one-pipe or dedicated return line, in order to select the correct recirculation components.
Aug 27, 2018

How do I install a hot water recirculating pump with return lines?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Now open a hot water faucet preferably a tub faucet elsewhere in your home in order to drain out all of the hot water. After it stops flowing leave the faucet in the on position until.

How do you run a dedicated recirculation line?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: You could put them in the vertical. So spring-loaded check valve on the feed we always put arrows on them so we know what direction. So the blue comes down goes up into the service valve.

What does a recirculating pump do?





A home water re-circulating pump is used to circulate domestic hot water so that any faucet or shower will provide hot water instantly upon demand. These systems slowly pump hot water through your hot water pipes and back to the water heater through either a dedicated line or through the cold water line.

Are recirculating pumps bad for pipes?

Recirculating Hot Water Can Corrode Pipes.
Apr 1, 2007

Does a recirculation pump increase pressure?

The hot water recirculation pump works by: Increase water pressure at the water heater. This propels the water to your faucet or shower much quicker. Returns the unused hot water in the pipe back to the water heater or boiler.

How much does it cost to run a recirculation pump?

So, you are looking at between about $26 and $34 each year, just to run your pump. Even if you were to trust the exaggerated expected water savings of 11,000 gallons each year, the cost of electricity to run the pump would still be more expensive than the average water savings for the vast majority of the country.
Jun 7, 2021

How do I know if I have a dedicated hot water return line?



The return line connects to either the water heater inlet or the drain valve at the bottom of the heater. Normally there will be a check valve between the end of the return line and the connection with the water heater to prevent water from being drawn backwards through the return line.
Aug 14, 2018

What is the purpose of a recirculation pump on a tankless water heater?

Sometimes called a circulator pump, it is a pump that periodically circulates water back to the water heater to be reheated. There’s a clue that this is not a cost-free technique. This prevents water in the pipe from cooling off, so it is hot when you turn on the tap or shower.
Jun 2, 2022

Does a tankless water heater need a return line?

Always use a 3/4″ line if you can. A 3/4″ line can hold twice as much water as a 1/2″ line which means you will get hot water even faster.



Tankless Water Heater
Dead-end Plumbing
D-C-Tankless Description Installation Instructions
D-C-Controller Description Installation Instructions

What size pipe is used for the domestic hot water return line?



¾-inch pipe

The minimum pipe size I use for the hot water return system piping is ¾-inch pipe. I often see half-inch pipe installed.

How do you size a hot water recirculation line?

Size the Recirculation Return Line. A sizing calculator (i.e. System Syzer) can be used to size the return line. For 1.87 gpm we would choose a ¾” copper pipe. The friction loss for this diameter supply pipe will be about 1.4 ft per 100 ft., according to the System Syzer.
Aug 18, 2014

How do I build a hot water recirculation system?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: You can see that this is the horizontal pipe for recirculation. This one so first you have to do is you have to write the hot water pipe sizes.

How long do hot water recirculating pumps last?



How Long Do Recirculating Pumps Last? Most pumps – assuming you did not get a lemon – will last 10 to 15 years. The biggest factors that impact their life expectancy are the amount of water you use every day and the quality of the manufacturing.

Will a recirculating pump prevent freezing?

Install hot water recirculating pump.



Installing a hot water recirculation system helps ensure that you always have hot water in your taps and prevents pipes from freezing during the winter.
Jan 11, 2017

What is the best hot water recirculating pump?

Top 5 Best Hot Water Recirculating Pumps

  • The Watts 500800 Hot Water Pump w/ Timer.
  • Laing LHB0810092 Recirculating Pump w/ Timer.
  • Grundfos GRU-595916 Instant Hot Water Pump.
  • Grundfos 59896155 SuperBrute Recirculator Pump.
  • Kolerflo Hot Water Recirculation Pump.


Do circulator pumps run all the time?



The most common circulator pumps run all day, every day, whether you’re actively using hot water or not. This causes a lot of heat to dissipate in the pipes 24/7 and requires the water heater to work harder to keep the water hot.
Nov 30, 2021

Can I turn off my hot water recirculating pump?

Conclusion. As you can see, it’s perfectly ok to turn off your hot water recirculating pump when you’re not using it. In fact, it’s an excellent idea to do so in order to prolong the lifetime of you pump and to save money.

What turns on a circulator pump?

On a call for heat the thermostat, connected to the aquastat primary control, will operate a circulator control relay inside the aquastat to turn on the circulator pump, or on some systems the thermostat may be connected to a separate circulator relay discussed just below.