Low hot water flow rate - what actions to take?

I’m a new limestone owner in PLG, and I’ve noticed that (a) my hot water pressure is not as strong as I’d like, and (b) it also takes quite a while (5+ min) to heat up. When it’s finally hot it’s fine (~115 degrees), just takes a while to get there. My hot water is supplied via a tankless coil / booster tank installed 2010-11. What can I do to improve this? Should first step to have plumber de-scale coil?

pwnnyc

in Plumbing 10 years and 8 months ago

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eman134 | 10 years and 8 months ago

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As MP said, get someone to repipe the system properly. What you have is quite a mess. My contact info is in my profile if you want me to take a look

Master Plvmber | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Wow. That’s a bit of a mess: A backpitched copper header on a steam boiler. No code-mandated mixing valve on the indirect water heater. A bucket half full of water under the water heater’s relief valve (you’ve created a closed-loop system without an expansion tank). Undersized (¾”) piping from the coil to the tank. The boiler looks like it’s 40 years old. You’d be smart to rethink your system there, poster.

pwnnyc | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Great idea – attached are images of my hot water tank and furnace. Boiler is EAFCO model EC-05, if that helps? Thanks for any insights you can offer!

eman134 | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Why not post a photo…it will make it easier to understand your system

Master Plvmber | 10 years and 8 months ago

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If you’ve got a tank connected to your coil, I’d check the shuttle pump that moves water from the coil to the tank. Not sure though what you mean by “booster” tank. Does your tank boost the water temperature by making the water hotter? Does it create its own heat? Or does it just store water which is far more common. Anyway, you could look into a recirculation system which you probably don’t have. So many things it could be.