As he explained, the Grundfos pump is really quite simple. As the hot water in your pipes cool, the pump kicks in to recirculate that water back to the water heater using the cold water line and heats it back up. This continual flow keeps hot water at you finger tips so that you do not have to run the shower for a long time waiting for the water to heat. The installation is easy since it uses the existing cold water line as the return, no extra line needs to be installed. The small pump is installed on top of your water heater. And no electricity is required under the sink although you will need a 110 outlet next to the water heater. Craftwork Plumbing, of Beaverton, Oregon installed the pump and two valves in my house in January. As Kirk pointed out, if you are handy with home improvements, you could install the pump yourself. The system uses less energy than a 25-watt light bulb so there is not much cost there. Kirk explained that unlike tankless water heaters, the return on investment is very quick. The total project, parts and labor to install, was under $800.00 and the payback would only take a few years. So what have been my results so far? Well, I live a simple life and do not use much water anyway. So my savings will not be as high as the average home that wastes over 31 gallons a day waiting for hot water. But I have noticed a 9% reduction in water use at my house since January. That's pretty good. And although the payback will be a little longer for me, I am doing it for the environment more than the money savings. Imagine if we all could cut our water consumption by 9%.
Bottom line…I give the Grundfos Comfort System pump two thumbs up and must add that Craftwork Plumbing is one of the most professional companies I have had the pleasure of doing business with. They were conscientious and followed up with me to see how the pump was working. High marks all around for this home improvement project.
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