Improve your home’s hot water distribution to save energy.
An efficient water heater can do wonders for your home’s energy use, but it’s also important to consider how that hot water is distributed. An inefficient distribution system can require more energy to deliver the same hot water, resulting in waste.
Project Overview
Tools and Materials:
- Adjustable wrenches
- Utility knife
- Screwdriver
- Drill
- On-demand pump and fixture connections
- “T” connector
- Teflon thread tape
Safety:
- Disconnect power sources when working on electrical appliances
- Turn off gas at cutoff valves before working on gas lines
- Be sure to relight pilot lights
- Inspect your home’s hot water distribution layout. It’s best to start at your water heater and to follow the pipes to see how they distribute the water through the rest of your home.
- Identify the kind of system your home uses. If you have a circulation pump running continuously, it’s possible to make dramatic energy savings gains by switching over to an on-demand circulating system instead.
- It’s also important to identify hot water pipes that aren’t insulated. Exposed pipes radiate heat and so require more energy to keep the water warm. Adding insulation can help reduce the amount of energy you use.