In this type of installation the thermostatic valves connect the hot water line to the cold water line underneath the furthest sinks in the house from the water heater.
A pump is then installed at the water heater along with a flow meter and our Smart Thermostatic Control.
When the controller senses hot water drawn anywhere in the house it turns the pump on, pushing hot water out the hot water line and forcing the cold water in the line through the thermostatic valve and into the cold water line.
Once the hot water reaches the thermostatic valve, the valve closes preventing further flow through the valve.
Our controller senses when the flow stops and turns the pump off rather than allowing the pump to deadhead against closed valves like all other systems. You can see a video of the installation on YouTube.
This is a great solution for an existing home that does not have a dedicated recirculation loop or when installing a return line is just not feasible. To know how many thermostatic valves you need for your home see our tip “How Many Crossover Valves Do I Need?”
