| If you have had 1 leak, more will surely follow – | | | | Drop the pressure by 5 psi at a time and wait to see |
| you can do something about it before further | | | | if you have any complaints. Showerheads and |
| damage is done and additional money is wasted. | | | | aerators already restrict flow to 2.5 gpm or less. |
| Circulating hot water is the fastest way to wear out | | | | Newer fixtures like the Evolve line of low flow |
| your pipes. In fact 90% of all pinhole leaks and slab | | | | showerheads have pressure compensating |
| leaks happen in hot water lines for the following | | | | technology built into them and work just as well at |
| reasons: | | | | low pressure as they do at high pressure. |
| - Chemicals in water are corrosive | | | | Second, turn off the pump when no one is using hot |
| - Chemicals in water when heated are even more | | | | water. That’s right. I said turn off the pump. |
| corrosive | | | | As I mentioned earlier people only use hot water |
| - Chemicals in water when heated and circulated | | | | 15% to 20% of the time. The pump only needs to |
| through copper pipes that bend around corners and | | | | be on when people need water. |
| turn up walls and curve around electrical conduit and | | | | There are 3 methods of implementing this strategy: |
| sewer pipes and are reduced in size as water passes | | | | 1. The Manual Method |
| through a building is extremely corrosive | | | | 2. The Guessing Method |
| In order to understand the solution it is helpful to | | | | 3. The Automated Method |
| know what causes the problem. With a little insight | | | | Manual Method |
| into how domestic hot water recirculation lines or | | | | Have someone go to the switch and turn on the |
| recirc loops are built and how they work we can see | | | | pump when you need hot water and turn it off |
| that the answer is as easy as flipping a switch. | | | | when you are done. Might be practical for a single |
| Apartments, hotels and larger homes have recirc | | | | family home (certainly not convenient) but impossible |
| loops designed to move hot water to the farthest | | | | in an apartment or hotel. |
| fixture from the boiler or water heater in a | | | | The Guessing Method |
| reasonable amount of time. Each loop has a pump | | | | Plug your pump into a timer and guess when hot |
| pushing water through a copper pipe 24 hours a day, | | | | water will be needed. This may be a practical |
| 7 days a week. Each loop has multiple joints and | | | | solution if the number of people living in the house or |
| fittings that obstruct the flow of water. Gate or | | | | apartment or with a limited number of guests in a |
| ball valves and flapper checks and expansion tanks | | | | hotel and everyone has the same predictable need |
| and whatever else the plumber had on his truck the | | | | for hot water. Unfortunately when hot water is |
| day he built the line create disturbances in the flow | | | | needed during an off period the timer gets disabled |
| path. | | | | and never turned back on. |
| Water likes to flow in a nice straight line with no | | | | The Automated Method |
| obstructions. This is called laminar flow – nice | | | | Think about your recirculation line as a closed loop. |
| and smooth. Anything in the flow path can disrupt | | | | When there is no demand for hot water, no water |
| the flow and cause an eddy to form. Eddies are the | | | | enters or leaves the system. When a hot water |
| bad boys, the unwanted visitor, the black sheep of | | | | faucet is turned on there is a “leak” in the |
| the family. | | | | system. |
| Create a little friction, add in some turbulence and the | | | | When water leaves the system more water is added |
| next thing you know you have a leak. | | | | from the city water line through a cold water |
| As your reading this please keep in mind there are | | | | make-up line (this is the technical name for the |
| things you can do to reduce or even eliminate leaks. | | | | copper pipe that brings cold water to your water |
| They are relatively inexpensive and I’ll tell you | | | | heater). |
| what they are in a minute. | | | | If a flow sensor is placed in the cold water make-up |
| When water pipes leak many things can happen | | | | line, any indication of water movement would mean |
| – none of which are any good. Pinhole and slab | | | | someone is using hot water. |
| leaks, mold, wasted water, wasted energy, property | | | | If the sensor sensed a demand (i.e., someone turned |
| damage, resident/guest complaints and inconvenience | | | | on a hot water faucet) it could turn on the pump. |
| all mean one thing. | | | | The demand would be met and the pump could be |
| It cost you time and money. | | | | turned off automatically when the demand ended. |
| The only question left is how much? Please refer | | | | That is precisely how an On-Demand Intelligent Pump |
| to Table 1 for an idea of how much a leak can cost. | | | | Controller works. The pump is only on when there |
| Table 1: The Cost of a Leak | | | | is a demand. |
| $200 You caught the leak early and it | | | | As it turns out, there are many benefits to |
| wasn't buried in a wall or under a slab | | | | automating your recirc pumps operation: |
| $1,000 The leak was in a wall and you | | | | - Drastically reduces pinhole leaks and slab leaks – |
| caught it early and it was relatively accessible after | | | | if the hot water is not moving, it is much less |
| tearing out some drywall | | | | corrosive |
| $2,000 Same as above except you didn't | | | | - Energy is conserved – since people only use hot |
| catch it early and mold and light structural damage | | | | water 15% to 20% of the time, the pump will be off |
| had occurred | | | | 80% to 85% of the time. That means the |
| $10,000 The leak was underneath a | | | | recirculation line isn’t full of hot water and no |
| concrete slab but you were able to pinpoint the | | | | energy is being lost. California Energy Commission |
| exact location | | | | studies indicate 37% less energy is consumed when |
| $20,000 Same as above except you had to | | | | an On-Demand Controller is installed. |
| chase the leak into another rooms | | | | Note: A sufficiently high speed pump is required |
| $100,000 + The leak went unnoticed until someone | | | | (2,200 rpm or faster) to implement this strategy. If |
| got sick and you got sued | | | | you have a high speed pump you will only need an |
| So there is the doom and gloom. What’s the | | | | On-Demand Controller. If not you will need a full |
| solution? | | | | system including a high speed pump. |
| Good question. The answer is there are a number | | | | In conclusion, cut your risks, lower your losses, |
| of things you can do. As you go through my list | | | | reduce your energy bill and extend the life of you |
| keep in mind that people only use hot water 15% to | | | | pipes and water heater or boiler by turning off you |
| 20% of the time (based on a study by the California | | | | recirc pump with an On-Demand Intelligent Pump |
| Energy Commission). | | | | Controller. |
| First, check your water pressure. 40 psi is high | | | | Contact me directly at the email address below to |
| enough for most 1 or 2 story buildings. Be sure to | | | | find out if this solution will work for you or what |
| check it in several places to find the lowest pressure | | | | other options you might have. To purchase the |
| in the building. Typically that would be the point | | | | On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller click on the |
| furthest from the water meter. If you don’t | | | | link below. |
| have a pressure regulator, put one in. | | | | Do it now and sleep better tonight knowing that one |
| When implementing this strategy do it in stages. | | | | of your biggest headaches just got cured. |