If you find yourself standing at the faucet for five full minutes before the water is finally hot enough to complete the intended task, then you are no alone. This is a common complaint among property owners.  Of course, there is the frustration of being made to wait, but it is also awfully wasteful and not good for the environment to run so much water each and every time.

Fortunately, there are options for property owners who are willing to update their systems.  Recirculation systems can be installed by HVAC professionals, and this will ensure that the water reaches the desired temperature much more quickly.  It can also save the property owner a great deal of money, if paying for water consumption.  In many cases, this can be accomplished without replacing the entire system, but simply by upgrading the existing one.

Before you move forward, consider the following:

Check the Temperature Before any updates are made, it is a good idea to check the temperature settings on the hot water system.  Something like the NoShok 100 Series Industrial Bimetal thermometer is perfect for those systems that do not have clear temperature readings.  This component can ensure that the water heater is actually maintaining the water temperatures specified.  If the system isn’t doing so, it can take longer to get the hot water that you desire, because the water isn’t as hot as it should be when leaving the water heater.  The difference of 1 degree in set point on a domestic hot water system, depending on usage and how large the system is, could mean thousands of dollars in wasted fuel- or electrical cost.

A Recirculation System Once the temperatures have been verified, you can look into a recirculation feature for your hot water system, which will help to ensure that there is no so much water waste at the fixture, and that you have hot water when you need it, not five minutes afterward.