Whether your motives are environmental or economic, many homeowners can agree that an energy efficient home has many advantages. Energy efficient renovations can help reduce the cost of your monthly utilities and increase the value of your home.
Plumbing renovations are a great first step to helping your home become more energy efficient. Many homeowners have already chosen to adopt energy efficient options like low-flow shower heads and high-efficiency toilets. Drain Water Heater recovery devices can help to further increase your home’s energy efficiency.
Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) devices are silent, maintenance-free energy savers. They capture heat destined for the sewer and transfer it to cold water coming into your hot water heating device. This results in less energy being required to heat your water to the desired temperature.
Drain water recovery units are made up of coiled tubes wrapped around drain pipes. These coiled tubes work to capture heat from wastewater as it leaves your home. They then return the heat to your hot water system which reduces the energy required to provide hot water to your home.
The best thing about drain water heat recovery systems is that they will work well with all types of water heaters including tankless and solar water heaters. Once installed, hot water from your showers, bathtubs, sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines can be recovered. Most drain water recovery units can store recovered heat for future use. Be sure to ask your plumbing contractor about the unit’s storage capacity! A unit without storage capacity will only have useful energy during the simultaneous flow of cold water and heated drain water, like while showering.
It is always best to consult with your plumbing contractor to see which type of system would suit your home and family’s needs the most.
Some storage-type systems have tanks containing a reservoir of clean water. Drain water flows through a spiral tube at the bottom of the heat storage tank. This warms the tank water, which rises to the top. Water heater intake water is preheated by circulation through a coil at the top of the tank.
Non-storage systems usually have a copper heat exchanger that replaces a vertical section of the main waste drain. As warm water flows down the waste drain, incoming cold-water flows through a spiral copper tube wrapped tightly around the copper section of the waste drain. This preheats the incoming cold water that goes to the water heater or a fixture, such as a shower.
By preheating cold water, drain-water heat recovery systems help increase water heating capacity. This increased capacity really helps if you have an undersized water heater. You can also lower your water heating temperature without affecting the capacity.
Drain Water Heat Recovery systems are recommended for homes with higher than average hot water consumption, usually consisting of three or more people. If you and your family prefer to get clean by taking baths, then this technology may not be right for you. However, if your primary method of getting clean is to shower, then you can really maximize this technology to your benefit – the greatest energy savings can be accomplished if everyone showers.
However, even if you prefer bubble baths over showers, Drain Water Heat Recovery systems have a very long life-span, lasting 30 plus years, so it may still be beneficial to contact your plumbing contractor now if things might change down the line (or if you are looking to sell).
If you are building a new home, installing a Drain Water Heat Recovery System during the building process, rather than after the fact, just makes good sense as you will be saving energy the minute you move in.
We always recommend that you hire an energy efficiency Alberta contractor. Butler Plumbing is a Better Business Bureau Accredited business, an MCA Alberta Gold Standard contractor, and Renovation Find Certified. But, don’t take our word for it – read one of our many 5-star reviews and see what homeowners just like you have to say about us!
Energy Efficiency Alberta offers provincial residents a rebate of up to $500 for the installation of a new DWHR device. Rebates will vary based on the energy savings for your project. Factors that impact the rebate are the device you choose, the flow rate of your shower heads and the number of showers which drain through the portion of the plumbing system where the DWHR device is installed. Don’t worry though, the friendly and skilled plumbers at Butler Plumbing can help you figure out all the details!
Installing a Drain Water Heat Recovery system will help improve your home’s energy efficiency and save you money. Even more than that, a DWHR device can help to extend the life your hot water heater – because the cold water entering your water heater is pre-heated by the drain water heat recovery system, the water heater does not have to work as hard to heat the water so your water heater may last longer!
Our Edmonton plumbers are always here to help you find the best solution for your home and your unique needs. We take the time to answer all your questions before we start. This is because we want you to be fully informed of all your plumbing requirements BEFORE we start the job.