The invention solves the problem of hot water flow in a domestic hot water installation. The subject of the installation according to the invention is that on a third cold water branch (13) that feeds the heating device (1) a control switch (4) is installed, said switch (4) is connected by control system (11) with hot water flow forcing device (3) set on a second hot water circulation branch (2).

A water system and a method of its operation that eliminates water waste between the time hot water is demanded and hot water at the proper temperature is applied to a fixture. This water system uses a water drainage system that diverts water from the line feeding the fixture into a storage tank and then returns that drained water back into a water heater for re-heating. Pumps can be used to assist both drainage and returning the drained water. Once the hot water line is cleared of tepid or cold water the water system supplies hot water from the water heater to the fixture. A vacuum valve opens to enable draining of the water line.

Provided is a hot water distribution system comprising a water heater, a water pump, a controller, a temperature sensor, a point-of-use, and a diverting valve capable of directing water from the water heater to either the point-of-use or back to the water heater.

A hot water supply system according to the present invention includes: a hot water supply unit configured to supply hot water; an opening and closing valve configured to connect a hot water supply pipe, which is configured to supply hot water to a user from the hot water supply unit, and a cold water supply pipe, which is configured to supply cold water introduced from a cold water inflow pipe to the user, to allow water to flow or configured to disconnect the hot water supply pipe from the cold water supply pipe to block the water from flowing; a circulation pump configured to circulate water supplied from the hot water supply unit through the hot water supply pipe, the opening and closing valve, the cold water supply pipe, and the hot water supply unit; and a control unit configured to, when a water-preheating signal of the user is input, open the opening and closing valve, and operate the circulation pump to preheat water which is to be supplied to the user.

New forms of self-sterilizing and antiseptic surfaces are provided. In some embodiments, a handled surface or GUI comprises internal hardware performing a heavy rinse of the handled surface triggered by an end-of-use function. In other embodiments, pressure on a handled surface instead causes the surface to uniformly exude water and other antiseptic compositions from a refillable source.

A water saving apparatus for use with a hot water system, the apparatus being sized and shaped for installation proximate one or more water outlet fixtures for delivery of heated water from the hot water system for use. The apparatus comprises an insulated reservoir having an inlet and an outlet to enable the reservoir to be installed in line with the flow of heated water from the hot water system to the one or more fixtures to store a quantity of heated water. Water that has cooled in the hot water pipe between the hot water system and the reservoir mixes with the stored heated water in the reservoir as water flows from the hot water system to the water outlet fixture.

A bypass valve is for support between hot and cold water lines that connect to respective hot and cold fixtures. The bypass valve includes a valve body having an internal chamber, a hot water inlet port, a hot water outlet port and a discharge port; a bi-metal spring; a support member for mounting the bi-metal spring within the internal chamber of the valve body; and a shuttle mounted to the bi-metal spring and constructed and arranged to mate with the discharge port in a closed position of the bi-metal spring. The bi-metal spring assumes an open position to disengage from the discharge port at a predetermined water temperature to enable the hot water to discharge through the discharge port to the cold water line.

The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of predictively preparing a water provision system installed in a building, the water provision system comprising a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to a thermal energy storage medium inside the building and a control module configured to control operation of the heat pump, the control module having executing thereon a first machine learning algorithm, MLA, having previously been trained to determine a correlation between cold water usage and a subsequent heated water demand, the water provision system being configured to provide water heated by the thermal energy storage medium to an occupant of the building at one or more water outlets, the method being performed by the control module and comprising: receiving first sensor data indicating cold water usage at a first water outlet; determining whether the cold water usage at the first water outlet is correlated to a subsequent heated water demand at a second water outlet by inputting the first sensor data to the first MLA; and upon determining that the cold water usage at the first water outlet is correlated to a subsequent heated water demand at a second water outlet, preparing the water provision system for delivering heated water.

The concepts relate to reducing energy loss associated with hot water systems. One example is manifest as a system with an automatic hot water recovery apparatus and selective hot water isolation devices. In one example a selective hot water isolation device is configured to be connected in fluid flowing relation with a first water line and a second water line and the selective hot water isolation device is configured to control water cross-over from the second water line into the first water line based upon water flow through the first water line.