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It takes a long time for hot water to make it to my kitchen downstairs or my shower upstairs. My neighbor showed me a pump placed inline with water supply that she'd had installed. She had to plug it in with each use, but it reduced time and water flow waiting for hot water. I'd never heard of seen such a thing. How do they work? Are they safe? What happens if you leave it on all the time? Thanks
What she needs is a 'system' rather than just a pump. Yes they are safe. They are called hot water recirculation systems. Many companies make them They consist of at least three parts: a pump, a checkvalve, and a cross-over. At least one company makes one that has all three parts in one box. If you search here, you'll find various discussions on these. Yes, they do work, and I have one in my home. There are retrofit systems that don't need a lot of installation, and there are similar (sometimes the same) system that can be installed when the house is built. It works best with a dedicated return line to the WH, but most retrofit systems use the cold line. Lang, Watts, Grundfos, RedyTemp, and others make systems that have (essentially) all the stuff you need to install other than maybe some plumbing fittings. They all need to be plugged in, so the pump needs to go somewhere near where there's power, or run it to the area.