What’s the best way to get hot water more quickly?

We all know the experience of holding a hand under a running tap or shower waiting for the water to get warm. You might be tempted to think that this is just a fact of life, and at least you’re not having to heat a kettle over an open fire to fill a tin bath, but there are some things you can do to get your hot water flowing faster.

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Boosting the flow

In most houses there will be a location – usually the kitchen – where you use hot water more than anywhere else. One solution to getting hot water sooner at this location is to install a booster heater. This is a small heater fitted close to the sink that will get you a few gallons of hot water for immediate use without having to wait for the flow from the boiler.

Another option is a recirculating hot water system. But this relies on a pump and so can waste energy. If you do opt for this type of system, it’s best to also install a timer so that the pump only works at times when you are likely to use hot water – https://www.energystar.gov/products/water_heaters/demand_hot_water_recirculating_system.

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If there’s a long pipe run from the boiler or cylinder to the tap, you can also try insulating the pipes to keep the water in them warm for longer.

Boiler matters

In most homes, the main source of hot water is a gas boiler. This can be a combi boiler that heats water on demand when you turn on a tap, or a system boiler that heats water and stores it in an insulated cylinder. If you’re looking for a new boiler installation Gloucester has a number of suppliers, including hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-installation-gloucester and they should be able to advise you on the best type for your home.

It’s important to choose the right type of boiler for your needs. While a combi will be fine for most smaller properties where you only need hot water in one place at a time, if you have a larger house – and particularly if you have more than one bathroom – then a system boiler is likely to be better suited to your needs and will give you a more consistent and reliable hot water supply throughout the property.