Who doesn’t like a nice hot shower? But, if your water heater is too small or your family large, you will end up running low on hot water. Soon you will run out completely. That means one or more persons could end up taking a cold shower. Sure, their time under the spray of water may start okay, but that hot water bliss will soon become a race. They have no choice but to grab their towel. We’ve all had this experience. Is there anything you can do about it? Yes, there is. There is a way to get the most out of your water heater, and that is by using a water heater booster. Our article on how to get hot water faster has all the answers. We will give you all the reasons getting a water heater booster might be the best thing for you.
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Reasons You Have Hot Water Troubles
After turning off the tap that gives you hot water, that hot water stays in the pipes of your plumbing system. With time, the water gets cold since it’s just sitting there. When you open your tap again, even if it is set to give you hot water, cold water comes out instead.
For the hot water to reach the tap, that hot water has to drain away first. That may take a long time to happen for a few reasons.
The Age Of Your Water Heater
Water heaters have a life expectancy of twelve years. The closer it gets to that age, the less you will get out of it. That could be one of the reasons your water takes so long to heat up. Old water heaters are also much less energy-efficient.
The Location Of Your Water Heater
If your water heater is in any of the following locations, hot water takes a longer time to get to other rooms.
- The attic
- The garage
- The basement
Home Pipe Insulation
Pipe insulation does not only prevent your plumbing system from freezing. Proper insulation in pipes also allows the heated water to remain hot longer. Without the correct plumbing insulation, it takes longer for your water to heat up. It also takes a shorter time for the water in the pipes.
The Size Of Your Home
If your home is on the large side, the longer the trip from your water heater to your faucets and shower. The water may have to make a few rounds around your home before it reaches the temperature you want. That trip may take up to three or more minutes, depending on the factors mentioned above.
During that long wait for your fresh hot water supply, you burn a few minutes of your time, a lot of water, and energy.
It might be tempting to simply rip out your water heater to replace it with a whole new, bigger, more efficient one. That job can cost you a lot of money.
But, there is an easier, more cost-effective way to solve all your water heater issues.
With the help of a water heater booster, you can get rid of all your these problems.
Water heater boosters improve the efficiency of water heaters.
They also deliver a lot more benefits, which we will get to in a bit.
First, let’s take a look at how water heater boosters work. And to explain how they work, we must look at the different types.
Types Of Water Heater Boosters
There are two types of water heater boosters.
- Water Heater Tank Booster
- Tankless Water Heater Booster
What are the differences between the two?
Water Heater Tank Booster
The water heater tank booster is a small device you attach to the water heater you already have. There are also boosters you can mount on a nearby wall and then connect to your water heater.
You can use a tank booster that is a mixing valve.
Water Heater Mixing Valve Purpose
Mixing valves connect directly to the tank of your water heater. These hot water boosters only provide hot water at the source. They mix hot water with cold water to give you water that is an ideal temperature.
Another type of water heater tank booster is the digital kind. It has a coil inside that heats the cold water and pushes it back into the tank. We’ll talk more about this soon.
Hot water tank boosters cannot stand on their own. You must connect them to a water heater system for them to work.
Tankless Water Heater Boosters
The tankless water heater booster is a second water heater. You can add these boosters to your existing water heating system.
Replacing your water heater is a big and costly job. But tankless water heater boosters also make cost-effective, stand-alone solutions. You do not need to buy a whole hot water tank anymore.
You can use tankless water heater boosters to add to your water heater or as a water heater all on its own.
Tankless hot water boosters are small devices. You can install near your primary water heating source. You can also install these devices at different points of use for instant hot water at each location.
By installing the tankless water heater with the water heater you already have, you:
- increase the capacity of that water heater to do its job.
- allow longer periods to use hot water.
- Get instant hot water every time.
How Does A Hot Water Booster Work?
Your tank water heater may have 30 to 120 gallons of hot, depending on the size. But the water inside it doesn’t always stay hot. As you use up the hot water, a fresh supply of cold water comes into the tank. That fresh cold water takes the place of the hot water you’ve already used.
As that new supply of cold water mixes with the hot, the temperature of your hot water begins to cool. Most times, it becomes lukewarm, but the longer it sits there, the colder it gets. Soon, your hot water runs out.
That’s where a booster comes in handy.
Digital Tank Boosters
The water heater tank booster is also called a hot water booster. It is a small device that you attach to the pipes of your water heater. You can also install it on a nearby wall, and it works with both electric and gas water heaters.
The cold water passes through a coil in the booster, where it is reheated. A pipe called a whip sends the reheated water back into the tank. A good example is the Rheem water heater booster.
The best part is that it is super easy to install. If you are a DIYer, it is possible to do it yourself with a quick search on
Hot water boosters increase the capacity of water heaters to produce hot water. That means with a hot water booster, your water heater produces more hot water and at a faster rate. Your hot water supply never runs out. That means you have instant hot water whenever you open a faucet, anywhere in your house.
Mixing Valve Tank Booster
This type of booster mixes hot water with cold water. Doing so creates an ideal temperature before delivering water to outlets.
Benefits Of Installing The Tank Water Heater Booster
There are many advantages to adding a booster to your water heater. Some of them, we’ve already mentioned. But, we will explain those and even more benefits here.
More Cost-efficient
Earlier, we mentioned that doing away with your existing water heater system will cost you a lot of money. What we didn’t say is how much money that will be. A new gas-powered water heater or electricity-powered water heater is expensive. A new one costs somewhere between US$1,000 to US$3,000. Those figures do not include the price of installation.
That’s a lot of money.
Buying a water heater booster is a cheaper solution.
Depending on the type of water heater booster you buy, you may pay just a little over US$100. There are versions of this device that climb into the thousand dollar range and higher. But, I want you to know that there is a type for every pocket.
Easy To Install
Unless you are a plumber or someone with experience, putting in a new water heater is not easy. Going with a water heater booster is a lot less complex and takes much less time.
We also mentioned this earlier on, so I won’t go into much detail here. But the tankless water heater booster and the water heater tank booster can both be DIY projects. It takes less than one hour to install.
Increased Hot Water Supply
Most water heater boosters increase the capacity of water heaters by 45%. So a 50-gallon tank gets the capacity of a tank that holds 80 gallons. That means you will have a hot water surplus available to your household and appliances.
Use Less Hot Water
A tank water heater stores hot water at very high temperatures. Before you can get your water to a temperature that is not scalding, you have to make adjustments. During that time, you have to keep the hot water running until you find the ideal temperature.
Water heater tank boosters mix cold water with the hot water from your water heater. That water stays in your water heater at a temperature you set. You can also use the 120 degrees Fahrenheit set by the manufacturers. Either way, your hot water is delivered to you at a safe temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you do not have to leave your hot water running to get the right temperature.
On that note, I jump to my next point.
Prevents Scalding
Most water heaters heat water at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. So, when your hot water comes through, there is a high chance of burning your skin. Third-degree burns are no joke for adults. Think about what will happen to children. It’s much worse.
Water heater boosters deliver hot water at a safe temperature. You never have to worry about getting third-degree burns ever again.
Freeze Protection
Water heater boosters keeps your water at a steady, safe temperature. They keep you from getting scalded every time you open your pipes. The opposite is also true.
Because you have an instant supply of heated water when you want it, you never have to be hit by cold water ever again.
It also keeps your plumping system from freezing up.
Conserve Water
Your boosted water supply also helps you cut down the amount of water used when you open the tap or shower. Because the water remains at an ideal temperature in your tank, you won’t have to leave cold water running. You also won’t have to waste water trying to adjust your hot water to the right temperature.
Energy-efficient
Most water heater boosters have an energy-efficient mode that helps you save energy.
Cleaner, Healthier Water
A bacteria called legionella lives in natural freshwater. Legionella causes an illness called legionnaire’s disease, which poses a dangerous health threat.
A hot water booster keeps your water at a constant temperature. where legionella cannot thrive.
Saves Space
I mentioned earlier that you might be tempted to get rid of your old water heater. But, you may not have room for a larger one to fulfill your hot water needs. That’s where a water heater booster comes in. Because they are small, they do not need a lot of space.
All you have to do is mount it to the water heater you already have. If you get the tankless water heater booster, you can put it at a point-of-use or on the wall next to your water heater.
Recirculation Pumps
A recirculation pump is not exactly a water heater booster but it does increase your chances of getting hot water on demand.
Recirculation pumps route the hot water you have not used back to your hot water tank. They are even more affordable than boosters.
How To Increase Hot Water Pressure
A lot of people want to know if they can improve hot water pressure using a booster heater. Unfortunately, you can’t. To improve water heater water pressure, you need a pump to boost hot water pressure.
Conclusion
There is a lot more I could say about using water heaters boosters. What you need to remember is that hot water boosters will solve your water heater troubles.
They keep you from having to rip out your existing system by providing an affordable upgrade.
No matter what time of day or year it is, no one likes being hit with cold water. So, get your water heater booster today.
