I think your problem is with the heater, not the distribution system.

"It has been a while since I was in the crawl space but I think the piping
I saw was clear plastic, not copper."

I have never heard of clear plastic being approved for domestic hot
water, but I guess it is possible. It is used for hot water heat supply
(well sort of clear). Maybe your memory is not too clear from when you saw
it.

I suggest getting a plumber out to check it. It should be correctable,
and I am going to guess it is not going to cost all that much.

Frankly in your area, I don't think I would want any plumbing going
through a non-heated part of my home, nor would I want my hot water heater
in an area not easily assessable.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"PV" wrote in message
m...
I've timed it. For each faucet, it takes 3-4 minutes before the water
that comes out is warm. It is an excruciating long time to wait for
warm water, especially now that it is winter. In the summer, I didn't
mind washing my hands in cold water.

I'm in NC, my hot water heater uses gas and is located in the attic of
my 2-story house, not integrated. The pipes for the first floor
bathroom and kitchen run along the top of the cold crawl space under
the house. It has been a while since I was in the crawl space but I
think the piping I saw was clear plastic, not copper. But still, even
the 2nd floor bathroom faucets take the same amount of time before
warm water comes out.

I just want to know what I can do differently the next time I have a
builder build me a house. I am satisfied with everything the builder
did when building my home except for this one nagging problem.

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
. ..
Let me add one more to the list. With an electric heater, one dead
element can cause some strange results. With either electric or gas a
bad
dip tube or mis plumbed (incoming water connected to the hot (outlet)
and
outgoing water connected to the cold water supply can cause such
problems.

Five minutes, if it is really that long, would indicate a long
string of
odd situations, like extra large supply lines, cold area, heavy heat
sink
pipe material and very long runs from the heater to the outlet.

Do all the sinks tubs etc in you home have the same problem?

What kind of hot water heater do you have? Integrated with you home
heat, electric, gas, oil, no-tank?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"PV" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I bought a newly built house 3 years ago. At that time, I asked the
builder why it took so long, 3-4 minutes, before hot water came out of
the faucets when you first turned them on. He said that was the
standard wait.

I'm annoyed now that I have to wait so long for the hot water to come
out. The temperature of the water is fine and I have no problems with
running out of hot water. I want to know if there is something I can
install/replace to make the hot water get to the faucet quicker, in 1
minute instead of 5 minutes. And I have this wait with all of my
faucets, kitchen, shower and bathrooms.

Thanks for your assistance!