I have a recirculating line running into my hot water heater. I know for a fact that it has not had a pump attached to it for 20 years. I do not know if there was a problem with the line before or if the pump just bit the dust and was taken off. Should I be concerned about attaching a pump and using the line? If so, should I blow off the line and use a retrofit recirculating system instead? Pipes are copper. House built in '71.

Thanks.

You have no idea if the old line is contaminated. Walk away from it. Consider the recirc pump home depot has for 199.95. It works great and is easy to install without a recirc line added.

Contaminated from the pipe sediment? Could you run water out of the line and see what it looks like?

Thanks.

Todd, bad advice man. A pipe that has been unused for a long time is not something to be used again.

Doug's right -- If the pipe has been out of the system as long as you say it has, then cut it out and cap it off.