Water heater recirc piping?

On an inspection last Friday I had a water heater with a recirculating pump that had it’s return line plumbed to the heater drain valve instead of the cold water inlet line. I have not seen it connected this way before. Is this permitted?

Sorry, no pic available.

Yep. There should have been a drain line installed on the recirc piping, but this is a fairly common installation.

Thanks Jeff.

The pump was mounted on the hot discharge line above the heater. The return line was plumbed to the tank hose bib with an adapter fitting and no added drain valve. I don’t see many of these and it’s the first one I’ve seen plumbed this way. It didn’t make sense that there was no way to drain/flush the tank without dismantling the piping.

I would recommend that a drain be installed as it is necessary for tank maintenance. . .

That’s what I thought. Thanks again. I still don’t care for this way of installing it, but if it’s allowed and common I’ll have to live with it.:slight_smile:

Here’s how it should be done Michael. . .

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HPIM9424.JPG

Very nice.