utility · 45W typical

Running a hot water recirculating pump costs about $5.35/month.

That's the typical hot water recirculating pump at 45W, run 24 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.

Estimated cost

$5.35/month

$0.18 per day$65.04 per year32.4 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

Full-power draw for 24 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same hot water recirculating pump can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

always-on

$5.35

per month

continuous circulation

24 hrs/day·$65.04/yr

timer-controlled

$1.78

per month

morning and evening only

8 hrs/day·$21.68/yr

Where you live

$9.69 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.

Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.

State	Rate	Monthly	Yearly
Hawaii	41.2¢	$13.35	$162.41
California	31.4¢	$10.17	$123.78
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$9.98	$121.41
Connecticut	28.7¢	$9.30	$113.14
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$9.04	$109.98
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$7.97	$96.97
Alaska	24.3¢	$7.87	$95.79
New York	22.3¢	$7.23	$87.91
Maine	22.1¢	$7.16	$87.12
Vermont	21.5¢	$6.97	$84.75
Michigan	19.3¢	$6.25	$76.08
New Jersey	19.1¢	$6.19	$75.29
Maryland	18.4¢	$5.96	$72.53
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$5.86	$71.35
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$5.77	$70.17
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$5.64	$68.59
Delaware	17.2¢	$5.57	$67.80
Illinois	16.9¢	$5.48	$66.62
Ohio	16.6¢	$5.38	$65.44
Nevada	16.3¢	$5.28	$64.25
Indiana	15.8¢	$5.12	$62.28
Virginia	15.7¢	$5.09	$61.89
Minnesota	15.6¢	$5.05	$61.50
Colorado	15.4¢	$4.99	$60.71
Alabama	15.2¢	$4.92	$59.92
West Virginia	15.2¢	$4.92	$59.92
Florida	15.1¢	$4.89	$59.52
New Mexico	14.8¢	$4.80	$58.34
Texas	14.8¢	$4.80	$58.34
Arizona	14.7¢	$4.76	$57.95
South Carolina	14.7¢	$4.76	$57.95
Kansas	14.6¢	$4.73	$57.55
Georgia	14.2¢	$4.60	$55.98
Iowa	14.1¢	$4.57	$55.58
North Carolina	13.9¢	$4.50	$54.79
Missouri	13.6¢	$4.41	$53.61
Oregon	13.4¢	$4.34	$52.82
Tennessee	13.3¢	$4.31	$52.43
Kentucky	13.2¢	$4.28	$52.03
Mississippi	13.1¢	$4.24	$51.64
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$4.24	$51.64
South Dakota	12.7¢	$4.11	$50.06
Montana	12.4¢	$4.02	$48.88
Nebraska	12.2¢	$3.95	$48.09
Arkansas	12.1¢	$3.92	$47.70
Washington	12.1¢	$3.92	$47.70
Louisiana	11.9¢	$3.86	$46.91
Wyoming	11.6¢	$3.76	$45.73
North Dakota	11.5¢	$3.73	$45.33
Utah	11.4¢	$3.69	$44.94
Idaho	11.3¢	$3.66	$44.54

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $115.63/year difference across the wattage range.

Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.

Most efficient

20W

$2.38 per month

$28.91 per year

Typical

45W

$5.35 per month

$65.04 per year

High draw

100W

$11.88 per month

$144.54 per year

When it hits hardest

year-round peak

24/7 in many installations.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Install on a timer or on-demand button — 24/7 is the default but wastes 70-80%
Saves 300-400 kWh/year
2
Insulate hot water lines near the pump
Less heat loss = less pump runtime needed
3
Use ECM/smart pumps — older fixed-speed models waste watts
ECM pumps use 40-60% less

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Grundfos	Comfort 595916	25W
Watts	Premier 500800	40W
Taco	006-B4 Circulator	80W

Picks that actually move the needle

Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.

Grundfos Comfort System with Timer

Built-in timer eliminates 24/7 draw

$250-310

Smart Plug with Schedule

Add schedule control to any pump

$18-25

On-Demand Button for Recirc Pump

Activates only when you need hot water

$60-90