Taco 0011 - On Command - 1/8 HP - Circulator Pump - Stainless Steel - Flange - Integral Flow Check - With Installation Kit

Failed on third day of use. Overnight the sensor failed. And the failure mode was to continuously push hot water back up the cold water line. And not just a little hot water in the cold water pipe, a lot. Phoned TACO they told me it was the sensor failure and to contact ecomfort for warranty. Filled out the online warranty claim, called later that day talked to Kevin, still waiting to hear back. Have removed the defective pump and am waiting for instructions from ecomfort.

This has been an amazing product for my family. While initially more expensive than some other items offered by major do it yourself companies, it's well worth it.

We live in San Antonio, TX. Our hot water heater is in our attic. Our kitchen sink is about 70 feet of piping from the heater (we called TACO and they recommended the 008 model vice the 006 because of the length of pipe run). The master bath is about halfway between the hot water heater and the kitchen sink (physically along the main water loop).

It used to take us over 2 minutes and we wasted nearly 5 gallons of water just waiting to get warm water at our kitchen sink. Plus, it would also add that same 5 gallon demand to our water softener. We used to have to wait 1.5 minutes and waste nearly 3 gallons of water in the master bath shower. Again, also adding demand to our water softener.

With this on demand recirc pump, we now have to wait just about 1 minute (before turning on the faucet) and waste ZERO water for our kitchen sink. We only have to wait about 20 seconds (before turning on the faucet) for our master bath shower and again, no wasted water and no extra demand on our softener system.

We wired the fixed demand button at our kitchen sink and ordered the (RF wireless) system for our master bath. The pump is effectively silent. I honestly didn't think it was working and had to open the cabinet doors and listen closely. It has a very low "hum". While cooking or cleaning in the kitchen it takes just a minute of extra planning to push the button while we do other things. Turn on the kitchen faucet and the water is very warm in about 1 second. Same for our master bath, we only need to plan ahead about 20 seconds. We walk in and push the button, brush our teeth or use the toilet. Turn on the shower and we have nice and hot water in 10 seconds (likely from the distance of the main loop to the shower head).

Other products use a pump with a 24 hour timer that is connected to the hotwater heater and then a temperature sensitive connection under your furthest item from the water heater (in our case the kitchen sink). The problem with them is that they run only on the preset times that you have set on the timer. If you aren't home (ie Vacation) you have to remember to turn it off etc, if you are home and need the hot water at off times, you can't get it unless you waste the water or reset your times. Also, from my research, the temperature sensitive device under the sink fails a lot. We also considered a point of use hot water tank (2.5 gallon) under our kitchen sink but that only solves our kitchen issue and not our masterbathroom sinks and shower.

TACO's product puts it all in one device under the sink and you only use it when you want it. There is very little wasted water and no extra demand on your other systems (assuming you have whole house filters etc tied into the main loop).
This has been well worth the price for our family of 5. We left for two weeks and it didn't run at all. We have family visiting and we needed it about 5 times in one day. Regardless, significantly less wasted water, much less demand on our softener system and on our whole house carbon filter system (because the water just goes back to the water heater via the loops already established inside the house, path of least resistance).
Buy it, it's well worth it.