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YOu don't need access to any pipes, these guys are trying to make things much too complicated.
Your hot water pipes should be insulated, you'll save water, less energy to heat it and you're not putting heat into the house in the middle of summer which inevitably you're going to remove with AC. Pipe insulation is cheap and as long as the pipes are exposed it's very easy to install. It's not complicated at all.
Have you tested the water to see what temperature its sitting at? Sounds like either one of the elements has gone bad or the water heater is set below 125.
I was in a house like this, it was rental for 6 months. The hot water heater was located on one side of the house. There was two bathrooms located directly above the hot water heater that had no problems with hot water.
On the other ned of the house another bathroom was located and the kitchen. They had 3/4 inch pipe running the length of the house. Maybe 80 feet of it if not more, you have many gallons of water in it plus the copper is going to suck a lot of heat out of the water.
If it were my house because of the very long length I'd certainly have two hot water heaters to feed each side instead of running it that far.
We considered getting one of those grundfos or watts pumps, but after see'n so many opened and retaped up boxes at the local store, well that told me a lot. It turned out that having thermostatic valves underneath different faucets in the home are not such a good idea. Those valves need hot water at the valve inorder for it to close, that's what prevents hot water from entering your cold water line. That's the point where most people stop their thought process and fail to understand that if these valves closes at 95 degree's, that means any other time hot water is not at the valve it re-opens. Who wants an open anything, valve or not connected between their hot and cold lines. If I want cold water and that valve is open then I'm gonna be pulling water from both hot and cold lines. When I use my cold faucet or any cold water for that sake, I sure as heck don't wanna be causing my water heater to fire up because of some open valve which won't stay closed unless I'm constantly running a pump to keep hot water at the sink all the time. I'd think twice before getting a product that raises your gas bill because you wanted cold water. If your gonna get a pump be sure it ain't cast iron. Yeah there the cheapest but their not for potable drinking water. If you want the best of both worlds look for a system that circulates hot water at the push of a button and can also work on a schedule. Another thing to consider, tankless water heaters require .75 gpm to trigger the burners so any pump that doesn't say it works with tankless, than it's flow rate is less than .75 gpm. Most guy's understand where I'm coming from when I say "it's better to pay the extra and guarantee the misses will be happy then to be kick'n yourself wish'n you had.
As far as getting a hot water circulator, they may be convenient, less waiting time, but the breakeven time to recoup the costs by saving water and energy water is probably about 20 years.
If that is a simple solution, then I have an acceptable solution - take cold showers. I also have a cheap solution - build a custom house.
Why wouldn't it be simple? Nothing expensive to buy, nothing adding to your energy bill, I simple moved it from the end of the house to the middle, closer to where it's used, removed about 20 feet of piping and solved the problem. I'm always amazed that people have to suggest rediculously expensive options when a simple one is staring you in the face.
Moving the hot water heater may be more expensive than you think. You will need to extend the wiring and 10 gauge wire is not cheap, and presumably you will have to get a pro to do it for you. Might cost as much as $500 to do that.
A simple under the sink heater might be cheaper, but again, you need a circuit to connect it to.
My step daughter's house was like that but the previous owner had a small water heater put in under the cabinets so you had instant hot water on either side of the house. Son-in-law and his dad rewired the house when they moved in they got some wires crossed and something happened to the water heater and the dishwasher both. Didn't replace either one. Just going to use the one water heater and just wait a while like you. On the dishwasher problem, he said it's no problem because they still have their main dishwasher, their 15 yr old daughter!
Why wouldn't it be simple? Nothing expensive to buy, nothing adding to your energy bill, I simple moved it from the end of the house to the middle, closer to where it's used, removed about 20 feet of piping and solved the problem. I'm always amazed that people have to suggest rediculously expensive options when a simple one is staring you in the face.
Generally a hot water heater is either in a dedicated place in the garage or a dedicated place in the house. How do most people create an additional dedicated place to relocate their hot water heater? This probably isn't a slam dunk for a construction contractor let alone an average homeowner.
Identifying, preparing, and configuring a destination for a hot water heater is not simple.
Re-routing water pipes is not simple.
Moving gas lines is not simple.
If electric, adding 220 is not simple.
Getting permits for this is simple but planning the job to get the permits is not simple.
I commend you on your project but using "simple" to describe it? C'mon man.
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