In article , wrote:
MC wrote:

I'd be glad to hear of people with experience with relevant upgrades to t=
heir hot water system...

In my house, the water heater (which is ample and in good condition), the=
washing machine, and the dishwasher are at one end of the house. The bath=
rooms are at the other end of the house, about 50 feet away.

My problem is that on cold mornings, the water cools back down as it's go=
ing through the cold pipes, and it's hard to get a warm bath. It's especia=
lly hard to *add* a bit of hot water to an already drawn bathtub-full, beca=
use the water standing in the pipes gets very cold.

I'm wondering if I should...

(1) add a tankless water heater near the bathrooms? (In the hot water li=
ne, to supplement it, or in a cold water line, to work by itself?)

(2) add some kind of recirculation of hot water?

I've seen a recirculating gadget that connects to the existing plumbing u=
nder a sink; the idea is to let some of your hot water go into your cold wa=
ter line and cycle back to the hot water heater. Does it work? I would be=
a bit afraid that the cold water would come out hot when this thing was in=
place, but maybe the valves take care of that.

I'm also aware of more elaborate recirculators with pumps, their own pipe=
s leading back to the hot water heater, etc.

Any experiences, anyone?


The simplest is to turn up the temp on the hot water cylinder. More
options:
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index....Water_Capacity

or if youre really strapped for cash:
http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index...._Water_Systems

Insulating pipes is the first step, unless you use a local heater. I thought they
used to make local heaters for some sinks and stuff to raise the temperature. ??

greg