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With the winter season upon us, many in cold-weather climates are girding themselves for what could be a long snowy and icy season by buying supplies. Winter coat? Check. Snow tires on the car? Check.

For all the attention paid to combating the elements outside your door, people often forget to pay attention to inside conditions. But what is more dispiriting than getting out of your warm bed up too early on a cold gray morning, wearily stumbling into the bathroom, turning the knob on the faucet or shower, and being greeted with ice-cold water? If you’re tired of spending winter mornings shivering in your bathroom, consider buying a circulator pump.

How it works is straightforward: as the name suggests, a circulator moves hot water in a closed circuit so that the water is always available at the tap. In most systems, cold water is moved constantly in a circuit. When hot water is needed, the cold water is filtered through a water heater before being sent to a tap, resulting in the wait time that many find annoying. 

Once the tap is turned off, however, the hot water moving through the piping will cool off. The tank’s capacity and recovery rate determine how quickly you can receive hot water again. The circulator works by keeping that hot water moving throughout the piping system, from the heater tank to the tap back to the heater tank again. The circulator eliminates the need for a recovery period as well as water waste. Modest savings on water costs can sometimes result from installing a circulator.

Circulator pumps require a dedicated return line that loops back to the water heater. The circulator would be installed on the return line and before the water heater. If your system does not have a dedicated return line, one option would be to use a “point-of-use” water heater installed near the furthest water fixture from your tank.

The top circulator pump manufacturers are Bell & Gossett, Taco, Grundfos, and Armstrong. Each of these reputed manufacturers produces a variety of circulator series and models to fit the specs of your specific system.

Bell & Gossett

Bell & Gossett, a Xylem company, is known for producing reliable and long-lasting pumps. The B&G circulators come in bronze, cast iron or stainless steel construction for durability and long life. The ecocirc series features a highly efficient Electronically Commutated Permanent Magnet Motor (ECM/PM) technology for dry run capability.

Bell & Gossett wet rotor circulators are lead-free, low watt usage pumps that feature a high starting torque for dependable start-ups.

Taco

Taco is another popular brand for circulators. The 00 family of circulators are constructed so that all of the pump’s moving components are contained within a removable cartridge. The cartridge design allows for easy removal which greatly simplifies any needed maintenance or repair. Replacing the cartridge essentially means rebuilding the circulator.

The Taco 007 series is perhaps the most popular hydronic circulator on the market today. 007 series pumps are compact, sturdy (stainless steel or cast iron) and designed for smooth, quiet operation. These pumps also have universal flanged connections and are generally able to serve a wide variety of applications.

Taco also manufactures the 2400 series, which also features a compact and maintenance free construction, but is used for medium to high flow applications.

Grundfos

Grundfos manufactures one, two, and three speed circulator pumps suitable for a wide range of cooling and heating applications. The ALPHA and MAGNA series both feature permanent magnet motor technology which makes them particularly energy efficient; MAGNA pumps operate with a variable speed wet rotor.

The Super Brute series features a 3 speed motor and is ideal for zoning, while the UP(S) series is expressly designed for commercial buildings such as apartments, schools, and hospitals.

Armstrong

We carry three series from Armstrong: the ARMflo E.2, the Astro 2, and the Compass series. The E.2 series pumps are dry motor circulators designed for use in a wide range of applications like hot water recirculation, domestic hot water generation and snow-melt installations. They can also be used in radiant heating systems.

The Astro 2 Series is a three speed wet-rotor series. Available in both stainless steel and cast iron, this series is designed to meet an even wider range of hydronic applications. Astro 2 pumps are corrosion resistant, easily compatible with multiple systems, and features a pre-installed high flow check valve.

Compass series pumps are variable speed wet-rotor circulators. Depending on the capacity range, you could use a Compass to replace a fixed speed circulator.

Circulator Pump Repair Parts

PumpProducts.com also features a wide variety of repair parts for circulator pumps from Bell & Gossett, Taco, Grundfos, and Armstrong. Gaskets, flanges, seals, and kits are all available to keep your circulator running in prime condition and help you avoid those cold mornings. Call our applications engineers at 1-800-429-0800 for help sizing a pump or part.