ᐅ A circulating pump for hot water: yes or no?

Hello everyone!

Our plumber asked us if we would like to have a circulation pump installed in our hot water system.

The heating system is located in the attic.

- Is this considered standard practice nowadays? Or is it no longer necessary?

- What are the electricity costs and resulting gas costs for running such a pump?

- How much water can I actually save by installing it, and is the benefit really significant?

The additional cost for this would be 300€.

- Is it worth it or not?

I’m always excited about these kinds of “features” in the house. My wife is more skeptical because she doesn’t see much added value, and she thinks we should invest the 300€ elsewhere.

What do you think?

Yes. Connect a timer switch and set it to run for two hours each in the morning and evening.

300€ is very affordable.

It's a comfort feature. Faster hot water at the tap and in the shower. Other aspects like operating costs and supposed water savings are negligible.

The woman is right. Nonsense. You don’t need it in a single-family house. I turn on the shower. Then I go to the closet, take my blood pressure and thyroid medication, and by then it’s already warm. Maximum 1 minute.

Absolutely essential, it’s really inconvenient without it. It adds a lot of comfort. Of course, it’s not economical since water itself doesn’t cost anything.

The only exception is if your floor plan allows for extremely short hot water pipes, then you can do without it.

Nordlys schrieb:

The wife is right. Toys. Not needed in a single-family house. I turn on the shower, then go to the cabinet, take my blood pressure and thyroid tablets, by then it’s already warm. Max 1 min.

That would be an absolute no-go for me!

Definitely get one, the $300 are worth it.
I would also ask what type of pump it is and, if possible, choose one that is directly “smart” or has a built-in timer. Then you can also check its power consumption.