HOT WATER CIRCULATION
The difference is ReadyTemp®'s higher efficiency
Hot water circulators have different levels of efficiency. ReadyTemp®'s significantly higher efficiency, convenience and comfort is attributed to a number of unique design features. One element is incorporating the use of a "normally-closed" solenoid valve which opens only during an intermittent pumping cycle. The normally-closed solenoid valve practically eliminates costly demand placed on water heaters when water siphons from the hot water line into the cold water line DURING COLD WATER USE inside or outside of the home. Other hot water circulators use either a passive “normally-open” thermostatic crossover valve or a passive one-way check valve which allows siphoning to occur during cold water use.
Thermostatic crossover valves, better known as comfort valves connect the homes hot and cold water lines together. Most understand that these valves close once 95 degree water contacts the valve to prevent water crossover . This being true also means anytime 95 degree water is not contacting the valve the valves remain open, allowing water from the hot water line to freely enter into the cold water line, day and night. The majority of energy waste occurs when cold water is used causing the water pressure in the cold lines to drop significantly lower then that in the hot water line. The higher water pressure in the hot water line easily over powers the lower pressured cold water line, filling the cold water pipes with warmish water through the open thermostatic crossover valves even though your intent was to only use cold water. Frustration builds as homeowners receive a mixture of water from both hot and cold water lines instead of water only from their cold water line. Homeowners must repeatedly wait for the crossover valve to finally close before they receive water exclusively from their cold water line. Whether, watering your lawn or flushing your toilet, the water consumed during these events should only come from the homes cold water line, not both hot and cold water lines. With every occurrence the hot water heater fills with very cold city water to replace that which siphoned into the cold water line. Thereby, repeatedly adding demand on your water heater and increasing the families energy bill while shortening the water heaters life.
Still other circulation systems use a built-in "one-way" check valve that prevents cold water from entering the hot water line but, don't always prevent water from the hot water line from crossing over into the cold water line during cold water use. Again, the substantial differences in water pressure between the hot and cold water lines over powers spring based check valves, resulting in costly inefficient reoccurrences of hot water line siphoning. Unfortunately, this inefficiency is found in all other hot water circulators except the ReadyTemp®.