In a perfect world, you turn on the hot faucet and hot water comes out straight away. However, this is not usually the case. Instead, you need to wait for the hot water to get from the tank or instant hot water system to the faucet. This means standing there for what can seem like an eternity, waiting for hot water to arrive.
In fact, you can use as much as 30 gallons of water per day in the average household simply waiting for hot water to come out of your various faucets! Consider the cost of water, you can save a considerable amount just by having instant hot water!
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to get hot water faster.
Insulate Pipes
The main problem with cold water out of the hot tap is because there is a specified amount of pipe work between the hot water tank or heater, and the faucet. The water in these pipes is not heated. The longer you leave it between using the water the cooler the water in the pipes will get. In other words, to get hot water the cold water in the pipes needs to be pushed out of the way first.
Insulating all your pips can slow heat loss. In theory, this can eliminate the rush of cold water although it will still only be warm, not hot. But, the effectiveness of this will depend on when the water was last used.
Add A Re-circulating System
One of the best solutions is to fit a re-circulating system. This is basically a small pump that takes the water from the water heater and moves it down through the pipes before returning it to the heater. There is a small electrical charge for running the pump.
What this does is ensures hot water is always available at the faucet because the hot water is being pumped right past the faucet continuously. This type of system can usually be turned on and off according to need, effectively lowering the cost of running it.
Move The Water Heater
Another option that may or may not be viable is to move the water heater. This approach is usually a good idea if you are busy renovating a house or looking at replacing the water heater. By moving it closer to the faucet you won’t stop the cold water from coming out first. But, you will reduce the amount of time you have to wait and therefore the amount of water wasted.
Of course, this does require a qualified plumber as you will need to relocate much of your existing pipe work.
Servicing
It s also worth noting that the performance and reliability of your water heater will degrade over time. This can be due to sediment buildup in the pipes and the heater. A service will eliminate these issues, allowing the water heater to work more efficiently and potentially speeding up hot water flow to your faucets.
