Kitchen & Bath
For many homeowners, having to wait while the water flowing
from the faucet or showerhead gets hot can be more than a minor
nuisance. In large homes with long runs between the water
heater and master bath, it can take more than a minute.
Meanwhile, a lot of wasted cold water is running down the
drain: Estimates of the amount range from 6,000 to 15,000
gallons of water per year for an average family of four,
depending on the size of the home and the family's habits.
Adding to the waste, a family might be paying for electricity
to pump the water from a well and for chemicals to purify and
treat it.
A small thermostatic valve takes the
place of a dedicated return line in this Grundfos hot-water
recirculation system, which is specifically designed for
retrofitting.
In new construction or during an extensive remodel, the best
solution to the "I want hot water now" problem is to install a
separate hot-water recirculation loop. In these systems, a
small pump circulates water through a dedicated return line
that runs from the end of the hot-water supply back to the
hot-water heater. But until recently it's been a lot harder to
retrofit a hot-water recirculation system to an existing home
because of the difficulty of installing a dedicated return
line.
No Return Line Needed
The Grundfos Comfort System ($388 suggested list price;
Grundfos Pumps Corp., 913/227-3400,
www.grundfos.com) is a ready-for-retrofit
pump and valve combo that doesn't need a return line. The pump
is prewired with a 115-volt AC line cord that plugs into a
standard outlet and installs easily at the hot-water heater;
the valve connects to existing hot and cold lines with standard
fittings and doesn't require a power supply. Installation of
one of these systems takes only an hour or two.
The key to the unit is a simple thermostatic valve connecting
the hot- and cold-water supply lines, which is installed
beneath the fixture farthest from the house's hot-water source
(see illustration, left). For plumbing systems with multiple
branches, additional valves (which cost about $65 each) must be
purchased for each branch at which instant hot water is
desired. In most residential or light-commercial retrofit
applications, a single pump and valve will be adequate, though
separately plumbed branches may each require another
valve.
When activated by its self-contained timer, the UP15-10S
circulating pump installed at the hot-water tank pushes hot
water toward the valve. As long as the water in the hot line is
cooler than 95°F, the valve stays open, allowing the water
to slowly recirculate back toward the water heater through the
cold-water line. While the pump is running, this continuous
loop makes hot water instantly available at each tap within the
circuit. When there's a demand for hot water and the water on
the hot side of the valve exceeds 95°F, the valve starts to
close, stopping circulation. The valve reopens when the
hot-water temperature dips below the device-activated 95°F
setpoint.
Installed between the hot and cold lines
at the fixture farthest from the hot-water source, the valve
(top left) circulates hot water back to the water heater via
the cold-water line (top right). A small pump slowly moves
water out through the hot-water line toward the thermostatic
valve. With its integral timer, users can program the system to
operate only when needed (bottom).
A Simple Nonelectric Thermostatic
Valve
The system depends on the small pressure differential that the
recirculating pump creates between the hot- and cold-water
sides. As the water temperature increases or decreases, a thin
wax filament within the valve enclosure expands and contracts,
closing or opening the valve. At less than 95°F, the valve
remains open to permit circulation through the water lines; at
95°F, the wax expands and the valve starts to close.
According to Grundfos, the valve never closes completely,
which allows a slow trickle of water to pass through the valve
and prevents the circuit from dead-heading. Because the
cold-water line is used for recirculation, there is a slight
rise of the cold-water temperature at the tap where the valve
is installed whenever the system is in operation.
The specially designed pump circulates water at a rate of
one-tenth of a gallon per minute, so flow rate is minimal. And
if the valve at the fixture is closed while the pump is
operating, the pump will not burn out, Grundfos says.
While the Comfort System reduces net water usage, actual
energy consumption for water heating will increase slightly.
But because a timer controls the pump, the system can be
programmed to run only during the hours when the homeowners
need hot water, keeping the energy penalty at a minimum.
John Vastyanis a freelance journalist in Manheim,
Pa., who specializes in the plumbing and mechanical, radiant
heat, and geothermal industries.
Bathroom Lighting
by Dave HolbrookLED to Light. Night-vision goggles don't make
practical sleepwear, which is why the NL-04 and NL-05 High/Low
LED Night Lights are such a great solution to a dark bathroom.
Each lamp provides constant low-level illumination until its
sensor detects movement; then it raises output to an ambient
level. A photocell shuts off the light during daylight hours.
LEDs (light-emitting diodes) use little energy and last
somewhere close to forever. The fixtures costs $24.95 and
$27.95. American Lighting, 800/880-1180,
www.americanlighting.com
Glass Drops. Whether installed suite-style
with a matching glass vessel lav by the same maker, or used as
color accents in another decorative scheme, these individually
blown glass Pendant Lights lend a bathroom good task lighting
and a classy presence. Complete low-voltage fixtures cost
between $325 and $375, depending on color; globes may be
purchased separately for $145 to $195 and used with other
standard hardware. Bear Creek Glass,
205/324-9339, www.bearcreekglass.com
Suite Selection. Part of a coordinating suite
of bathroom accessories that includes rings, bars, hooks,
mirrors, and more, the Empire Single and Double Lights feature
blown-glass shades and are rated for maximum-100-watt
incandescent lamps. Metal finish options include chrome, brass,
nickel, and satin nickel. The sconces cost between $215 and
$395, depending on finish and configuration.
Ginger, 888/469-6511,
www.gingerco.com
Cooktops
Compact Unit. For kitchens in which every
inch counts, the 23-inch-long by 201/4-inch-wide KM360G
four-burner gas cooktop delivers high performance within a
compact footprint. The stainless-steel unit boasts a 10,200-Btu
burner, two 6,000-Btu burners, and a 3,400-Btu auxiliary
burner; a continuous-grate design allows pots to be shifted
between burners without lifting. The cooktop costs $799.
Miele, 800/843-7231,
www.miele.comStainless or Porcelain. The stainless-steel
surface and continuous grates on the snappy-looking Architect
Series five-burner gas cooktop make for efficient cooking and
cleaning. Burner output ranges from 6,000 to 14,000 Btu. The
unit retails for $979; a similar model with a
porcelain-on-steel finish in white, biscuit, or black sells for
$829. KitchenAid, 800/422-1230,
www.kitchenaid.com
Smart Burners. This electric cooktop's sensor
technology automatically adjusts its three-element burner to
the size of the cookware and then shuts the burner off when the
cookware's removed. Once the pan's replaced, the burner resumes
its previous setting. Electronic touch controls provide simple
operation and a pristine ceramic cooking surface. Choose from
three widths — 30, 36, and 45 inches — and two
colors, black and white. The CEP 36 model shown has a suggested
retail price of $1,499. Thermador,
800/735-5547, www.thermador.com
Introducing Induction. There's a new kind of
heat out there and it's pretty cool. Literally. The Diva
Induction Cooktop uses magnetic induction to warm a container
and its contents. While the cooking surface itself remains
cool, water boils in half the time required by a gas or
electric cooking element, the company says. Only magnetically
attractive cookware can be used, but a five-piece set of
stainless-steel pots comes standard with every purchase. The
three cooktop sizes — 12-inch, 30-inch, and 36-inch
— cost $1,995, $2,995, and $3,995, respectively.
Diva de Provence, 888/852-8604,
www.divainduction.com