What is this?

[Boldini53]

On the hot water line along with the arrestor the ”T” returns back and comes out through the wall near the hot water heater and has a shutoff valve on the end. Why could someone run a 3/4 to the sink and run a 1/2 in back as described? What am I missing here? Also fyi I want to reposition the lines to the rear of the cabinet and fix the cabinet floor so simplification is the target.

 

[Reach4]

Why could someone run a 3/4 to the sink and run a 1/2 in back as described?

Hot water recirculation would use a second pipe. There would be a pump in the return path.

I did not analyze your piping well, so maybe your situation is something else.

Hot water lines and recirculation lines are supposed to be insulated.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Boldini53]

I believe you are right. Im not the original owner and when the hot water tank was replaced they didn’t reinstall the circulation connection. Not sure of the reason for that but neither the feed or return was insulated so it may not have worked very well. I definitely will not be tearing apart the ceiling to insulate the pipes so my next question to the experts is…….. is it worth hooking up unwrapped or should I just remove it? The run is 25 ft each way and is in the joists of the finished basement ceiling if that helps.

 

[Reach4]

It is also possible to have recirculation with no pump. You return low, often teeing where the drain valve is. You put in a check valve that is easy-open. I think the pumps serve as check valves or have integral check valves. Most people use pumps.

There are different ways to turn recirculation on and off. Some use a timer. Some use a motion sensor in the bathroom. Some use a pushbutton that the user presses in advance of drawing hot water, then recirc turns off. The pumps normally have a temperature sensor to not pump when the recirculating water is hot. I don't have recirculation, but it does seem like a nice feature. It would be most advantageous where there is expensive heating or water is scarce, but it would be nice even if those were not significant factors.

 

[Boldini53]

Ok. Thank you for that. I will research my options.

 

[Fitter30]

Funny place for a water arrestor.

 

[TJRAD]

if this is a test Im with Fitter30, thats a water hammer arrestor.