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Hydronic circulator pumps are
commonly used in closed hot water home heating systems. Hydronic
circulator pumps circulate the hot water through the heating system and
work in conjunction with the boiler, hydronic zone valves, and
thermostats to heat/cool your home.
Hydronic circulator pumps
used for residential use are small centrifugal type pumps that are
electrically powered. They are typically made out of cast iron. You can
locate them usually near the boiler and in series with the hot water
piping.
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Hydronic circulator pumps are
sealed units with an internal motor, bearings and impeller, thus making them
less prone to leakage and breakdown. They are typically installed in series
with the boiler, hydronic zone valve and hot water heating. When the
thermostat indicates that heat is required, the zone valve is opened, the
circulating pump is activated and hot water is circulated through the hot
water heating system. As the water cools the boiler turns on and reheats the
water in the closed loop hot water heating system.
| Besides being used for home heating systems, a hydronic
circulator pump is
also frequently used for supplying on-demand hot water for the home’s
domestic hot water needs. The circulator pump continuously provides hot water through the
home hot water supply lines so that when a hot water faucet is turned
on, hot water is immediately available. The advantage of this is that
you don’t waste water, but the disadvantage is that you waste energy by
constantly heating water that may be rarely used. |
Photo By Mark Donovan |
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If you consider using a
circulator pump for your home’s hot water system, then you may want to
insulate your hot water supply pipes or put the system on a timer so that
you mitigate the waste of energy.
A circulator pumps performance is
measured by its flow performance. The flow performance is a function of the
flow-rate (number of gallons/liters of water that can be pushed through the
system per minute), and the circulator pumps head pressure.
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A circulator pumps head pressure
rating is the maximum vertical height the pump can lift the water.
Consequently if you have a large hot water system design that needs to go up
two floor levels (e.g. from the basement to the second floor of a home) you
will need a circulator pump that can support a higher flow performance with
a high head pressure.
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As with everything in nature,
hydronic circulator pumps eventually break down. When they do, the motor
usually seizes and hot water fails to circulate. When this situation occurs,
call a plumber as this is a repair project that is quite extensive and
should not be handled by a homeowner.
Additional Home Plumbing Resources
Hydronic Circulator Pumps from Amazon.com
