Ever stayed in a house where it took 10 minutes to get hot water. The solution to the problem is a water circulation pump that moves the hot water around to make it (almost) instantly available. The question is of course when this pump is supposed to run so that it doesn’t have to run all the time. We have solved the problem by programming three light switches in the house to run the pump for 10 minutes. That means that anytime you turn on those lights the water will start circulating and withing 4-5 minutes it will be much closer to all faucets in the house with the benefit that it will only take 15-20 seconds for the hot water to come out of the nozzle.
The benefits are of course multiple: less wasted water in a region where water is scarce, less energy consumed to keep the water heated, more pleasant showering experience.
The three light switches that works their magic anytime they are turned on are:
- Master bathroom shower light (next to the shower fan switch)
- Second bathroom washroom light (just inside the first door)
- Above kitchen sink light
The pump will keep running for its set time even if you turn off the light immediately.
Tips: turn on either of these lights 5 minutes before you need hot water. E.g. before having a shower, turn on the light and then brush your teeth. By the time you are ready to jump into the shower you won’t have to wait long.