Gravity Fed Hot Water

Hello Everyone,

Not sure if this is the best place to post this or not but here goes!

Basically what I am looking to do is get hot water to fixtures quicker. House is a Tri-level with a basement. My hot water system branches off into two different directions so will eventually need two loops. For now I’m focusing on the loop for the main level. I have a 50 Gal. Marathon water heater in my basement and I’m going to try the gravity fed route first and add a pump of some sort later if it doesn’t work out. I also have a FHP Geo unit with a DSH. Below is a picture of my existing setup minus the purple return line w/check valve and the check valve on the DSH return line. My existing expansion tank is 2 gal. and total loop run will be approx. 55 ft. From what I’ve read I need to use a “swing†style check valve on the loop and drill a small hole in it for convection.

I’m basically looking for any input, recommendations, etc. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Will this system work like this? Should I make any changes? All pipe is 3/4†copper. Should I go with a bigger expansion tank or will the 2 Gal. be sufficient?

Thanks,
Scott S.

 

That should work very well. When adding the 2nd loop install a valve on each loop for balancing.

John