Takes 2 Minutes For Hot Water To Get To Shower

Oreshans

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We recently bought a 14 year old home. At first I didn't think the hot water heater worked but found that it was new. I have timed how long it takes for the hot water to get to the other side of the house in the shower and it takes 2 full minutes. It only takes 30 seconds for the hot water to get to the bathtub right next to the shower. We live in the Southwest and I am concerned about all the wasted water that goes down the drain for every shower taken.

In addition, the water cools very rapidly at the shower and takes another 2 minutes to get hot if you should turn it off to soap up. YOur tendency is to leave the water running and once again, I don't like wasting that much water in the Arizona desert.

Someone suggested that the valve may be clogged or restricted at the shower but the pressure is fine. Can you make a suggestion as to what we should do about this. The faucet is a single lever handle.

Thanks,
The Oreshans

Mike Finley

A recirculation pump added under the vanity would do the trick.

IHI

Might not solve the problem but will help. Install some pipe insulation arounf the hot water pipes from the water heater to the shower. Very cheap so even if you have long runs it wont break the bank and goes on very quickly.

Had the same problem with the house we just sold, after I first moved in it took awhile for the water to heat up in the shower-NOT 2 minutes LOL, but awhile. Installed some pipe insulation and it helped get warm water there faster.

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Glasshousebltr

A 14 year old home tells it all.

14 years ago AZ went through a conduit flash drought. The aquifer lowered so bad that state legislature steped in and passed the Noah act making all the plumblig contractors run shower feeds around the house twice before entering the mixer.

8 months later they realized they didn't have time to soap up or even throw it to the little lady, so legislature got back together and passed the cotton mouthed act, then they all fired up a fat doobie.

Then they all had Dorito's. So the next time you take a shower, just think about Dorito's and the cold water wont be so bad

It's remarkable how I seem to rent space in people's minds.

Bob

Teetorbilt

Try this and let us know what happens. Run the water to the bath until it gets hot and turn it off. Then turn on the shower and see how long it takes for the hot water to get there. See where I'm going with this?

PipeGuy

Dude, do you always blaze up this early in the day? If I'm doing the time zone math right it's wasn't even 5:30 yet.

Oreshans

I will give it a try as soon as I can. Will let you know.
Thanks!

Oreshans

We've talked about doing this but we were under the impression that the house needed to be plumbed in a circular manner to have it recirculate. We had this on another home and it worked great but the pipes were under the foundation so we didn't think it was possible.

The Oreshans

Mike Finley

Not necessarily. There are 2 methods, one is with a return line and a simple pump like you are talking about, the other is using a more complex unit that uses valves and sensors and pumps the hot water back through your cold water line. I believe this is an example of this type of product.

http://www.redytemp.com

They install in about 15 minutes.

If you do some searches on the Internet or call some good plumbers you should find what I am talking about.

Oreshans

I will start looking. We had a few heated discussions about a recirculating pump but sometimes people forget that things advance and this sounds like recirulating pumps have advanced since we last needed one.

Thanks for your further information.