For the Booth family in Norco, Calif., everyday routines were shaped by long waits for hot water, and water pressure that couldn’t keep up with the demands of their busy household. With a Grundfos ALPHA Comfort System and SCALA2 Model 2 booster pump, the family transformed daily life with faster hot water, consistent water pressure – and more time spent together.
Taylor Booth turns on the shower. “Now, it’s just warm. It just works. If I put a smidge further to the hot side, it gets really hot really fast and I think, ‘Wow, that’s powerful! I like that!’”
When daily routines meant daily compromises
For Caleb and Jennifer Booth, home is a busy place. With four active children and a fifth on the way, everyday life in their Norco, Calif., home revolves around making the most of limited time. But for years, one unexpected frustration slowed everything down: water.
When the Booths moved into their 1980s-built four-bedroom home in 2020, they soon realized it simply couldn’t keep pace with the demand created by a growing family.
Running the dishwasher, washing machine, or sprinklers caused the home's water pressure to drop dramatically. The impact was felt most during the family’s busiest times of day, when showers could be reduced to a cold trickle.
“Everybody had to go one at a time,” Caleb recalls. “We couldn’t take two showers at the same time. We’d have problems with water pressure; we’d have problems with the temperature.”
Finding the right solution
To solve both issues, the Booth family turned to the Grundfos SCALA2 Model 2 pressure boosting pump and the Grundfos ALPHA Comfort System, a hot water reciruclation pump. The solution was recommended by Delta Q, a long-standing Grundfos partner in Southern California, and installed by local contractor Plumbing Concepts.
The ALPHA Comfort System provides faster delivery of hot water without requiring a dedicated recirculation line, making it particularly well suited to older homes like the Booths’.
“Whether you have an existing recirculation line or you don’t, there’s a pump for you,” says Jim Cutter, residential sales manager at Delta Q. “The benefit of the ALPHA system is that they deliver hot water in a very timely fashion, meeting the homeowner’s expectation for a quick hot water delivery.”
Grundfos, I love them…we have never gotten called back after installing.
At the same time, a single SCALA2 Model 2 booster pump maintains consistent water pressure throughout the Booths’ 2,300 sq. ft. home, even when multiple fixtures and appliances are being used simultaneously.
“This city doesn't really have the pressure to enter homes," said Plumbing Concepts contractor Pablo Aguilera. "So, when they use two or more fixtures, the water pressure drops to a trickle. And hot water takes anywhere from two to three minutes to reach a fixture.” With the Grundfos pump solutions, they’re able to get hot water faster and maintain the performance they need throughout the house.
For Pablo, the appeal of Grundfos solutions is straightforward: reliable products lead to satisfied customers. “When we install them, we usually never go back,” he explains. “The only time we go back is to set the time for the homeowner. They’re always happy with the product.
”The installations were simple and completed in a single day, with minimal disruption. “The installation process and the communication has been impeccable,” says Jennifer. “We weren’t inconvenienced as a family.”
A noticeable difference from day one
The first benefit the family noticed was how quickly hot water started flowing. “It was two minutes, before,” Jennifer says. “Now it’s less than ten seconds – I’ve counted multiple times because I’m still shocked!”
The improved water pressure also made an immediate difference. The family can now run multiple showers at once, and continue with laundry, dishes, and other daily activities, all without noticeable changes in water pressure or temperature.
The impact is felt far beyond plumbing. Evenings run more smoothly, and there are now more opportunities to spend time together.
“When you can cut that time in half by having two people shower at the same time, it’s a game changer,” says Caleb. “It really does speed things up.
Before, it used to take two minutes for hot water to flow upstairs. Now, it’s under ten seconds.
”Jennifer agrees. “It helps Mom not feel overloaded at the end of the night to still go and wrap up the kitchen – because she was able to do it while kids were doing showers, she was able to get her things going as well.”
An upgrade that improves family life
For the parents, the difference goes beyond convenience; it gives the family valuable time back during the busiest parts of their day. "Our whole family is able to benefit when we can do multiple things," Caleb said.
Now, we get to capitalize on using multiple restrooms, multiple showers, being efficient with getting kiddos through their daily routines so they can enjoy family time.
Today, the family no longer wastes water waiting for faucets to warm up, no longer has to organize showers around pressure limitations, and no longer experiences the interruptions that once shaped their daily routines.
“I think the biggest advantage is the convenience,” says Caleb. “It gives you more time with the kids in the evening." For the Booths’ growing family, that’s an upgrade that makes a difference every day.