I'm trying to figure out how to get hot water to my kitchen sink faster. I have a Rinnai tankless water heater, but it's located pretty far from the sink, which means it can take over 30 seconds to get hot water when I turn on the tap. This is frustrating because it wastes a lot of water while I wait for it to heat up, especially if I haven't used it in a while. I'm wondering if installing an electric on-demand water heater right under the kitchen sink would help provide hot water more quickly. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!
4 Answers
I recently tackled this issue myself by adding a small 1.3-gallon tank water heater directly at my sink. It’s been a game changer for me! Instant hot water whenever I need it.
Honestly, I wouldn’t go too crazy with adding equipment. Keeping the water in your pipes hot 100% of the time could end up costing you a ton in electricity and maintenance. If it's just for infrequent use, it might be worth evaluating if you need immediate hot water at all!
One option to consider is installing a small pump right under your sink. This has worked well for me and it speeds up the delivery of hot water to the faucet significantly!
If you can access your plumbing, try insulating the hot water lines leading to your sink. This way, the water will stay hot longer. Another solution would be to run a separate, smaller pipe from the water heater directly to the kitchen; it only has to displace a little bit of water before you get hot water, saving a lot of time.