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Instant Hot Water: Installing a Re-circulating System Instant Hot Water: Installing a Re-circulating System From "Ed the Plumber" episode DETP-109

The last step to fixing slow hot water output, is to install a re-circulating system.

Materials:

Adjustable wrench
Two 1/2 inch to 3/8 inch compression flex hoses for re-circulating pump
Two 1/2 inch to 1/2 inch compression flex hoses for re-circulating pump
3/8 inch wrench
1/2 inch wrench
Re-circulation pump and instructions manual
Slip-joint pliers

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F

1. Turn off the power to the water heater, or turn the unit to 'pilot' if it's a gas heater.
   
2. Shut off the water from the water heater.
   Note: if you've already installed a point-of-use system, you'll need to unplug it.
   
3. Turn on the faucet to drain the water lines. Leave it on until after the system is installed.
   
4. Next, let the water heater cool down.
   
5. Once it's cooled, disconnect the hot water feed line from the water heater using slip-joint pliers (figure A).
   
6. Hand-tighten the re-circulating pump onto the discharge connection.
   Note: make sure the flow arrow on the pump is pointing away from the water heater.
   
7. Tighten everything down with a wrench.
   
8. Attach the hot water line to the discharge connection on the pump (figure B).
   
9. Next, install the re-circulating valve (figure C) at a sink the greatest distance from the water heater.

Installing a re-circulating valve:

1. Shut off the water under the sink.
   
2. Remove the supply lines to the sink (figure D).
   
3. Replace with stainless flex-lines.
   
4. Attach the flex-lines to the re-circulating valve, then attach to the water stop (figure E).
   
5. Turn on the water, then check for leaks.
   
6. Turn on the faucet to purge air from the water line.

Completing the Installation

1. Plug the point-of-use system back in.
   
2. Next, turn on the water heater.
   
3. Plug in the pump that was installed on the water heater.
   Safety Tip: be sure to keep the electrical cord away from the water heater flues if it's a gas or oil heater.
   
4. Set the timer on the pump (figure F).