Getting Hot Water to the Dishwasher

Hi, P.!

I have the tankless hot water heater, but it's up in my attic, so I have a bit of a wait for the water to get to my downstairs kitchen sink/dishwasher as well. (Though supposedly my dishwasher heats the water internally and doesn't need to start with hot water the way that most do.) Sounds like the recirculating pump would be the way for you to go.

I also wanted to point out that you don't actually have to waste the water at the sink just because it takes a while for it to heat up. I save empty plastic milk jugs to store under the sink, and I fill them up while I wait for my water to get hot. I use that water for my houseplants and also the plants outside in pots. I also use it to fill my teakettle, or to fill a pitcher so that we'll have cold water already in the fridge. Just some suggestions--sometimes we don't think outside the box for ways to turn a negative into a positive. :)

Hi P.,
The two devices you are considering might be good separately or together, depending on your usage. The instant hot water is a device you install at your kitchen sink which is great for hot beverages. It delivers water at 190 degrees, so it's a bit too hot for handwashing or things of that nature. Here's a link at Costco. It's a bit long, so you might have to copy and paste it into your browser.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=112...

The other device, the hot water recirculator is also pretty reasonable and great for an older house. It keeps the hot water moving through the pipes so your water heater doesn't have to keep pushing hot water through cold pipes. You use a lot less water because you don't have to wait several minutes for water to get hot. It will solve the problem of waste. I don't have one yet, it seems some other house issue needs attention first, but another Mama installed one and is really happy. The device is about $150-$180. If you use a plumber, it will cost extra for installation, or a handyman would probably be cheaper. I'll include the Costco link and I'll try to find the mama who had it installed so you could ask her specific questions.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=110...

I found it:
The mama who had the system installed is Amy W. Here is the link to her original request:
http://www.mamasource.com/request/5492711491624763393/163...

If I were you, I'd get the name of her handyman who installed the system.

I hope this helps and I wish you good luck. Don't forget to let us all know how it works out!

K.

Tankless hot water systems are great and have come a long way in the past 5 years; just be sure you get one that is adequate for your needs. The way they work is they raise the temperature of the incoming water a certain amount of degrees, say 60. So, if the incoming water is 60', then the outgoing water will be 120'. This is worth doing some testing on your cold water in the winter months. Also, these systems will cost no less than $2000 to install. But, it doesn't solve the problem of the long length of pipes to get to the dishwasher or the other side of the house. That is where recirculating pumps come in. They are usually great, but if you have a slab house and the pipes run below it the cold ground may suck the heat out of the pipes - not all the way, but don't expect instant hot water. So, water waste will still happen, just not as much. Recirculating pumps start at about $600. I've seen some houses that have timers on their pumps, so they only run when needed. But if the dishwasher is your primary concern, you may want to shop for a new dishwasher that has a built-in heater for all cycles, not just the heavy-duty cycles.

Our hot water heaters are in the garage and my kitchen & master are on the opposite side of the house.

We noticed a big difference when we upgraded and replaced our hot water heaters last year. I still run water until it is hot for the dw and shower. It does not take as much time though.

Classic Plumbing did our installation and we are pleased. It was not the 1st time they had been here and we would use them again.

I've heard about the water heaters that heat on the spot but we did not think they were quite ready for us right now.

My dishwasher and washer have hot water heaters on them that I use during the cycle.

Good luck

Look into a Hot water heater you could put in the kitchen (maybe in a closet or under the sink). I had one in an appartment one time. Very small but did the trick. Maybe an INSTA HOT could be connected to a Dishwasher. Ask a plumber how they would fix it. Just call and get on the phone. Those that take the time on the phone to offer up suggestions are the ones likely to care enough to do a good job.

The other thing you might consider is getting a new dishwasher that heats the water.

Yeah, we have the same problem but in a new house with a tankless water heater downstairs. I remember asking about a pump from a plumber, and it seemed quite expensive and labor intensive since the pump was not only downstairs but on the opposite side of the house. So I just continue to suffer through it...

Let me know if you come up with a viable solution to your problem...

We put in a recirculating pump because we were having to turn on the bathtub and shower for several minutes to shower every morning, and wasting so much water! We love our pump! I am very glad that we did it! It was a few years ago now and I am sorry I do not remember who we used, nor exactly how much it cost. I just wanted to give you a hearty endorsement for the concept!