Drain Heat Recovery

• MP4 format
• MP4 format
• Timed Text format (captions only)

Did you know that the heat from water leaving your shower drain pipe can be used to help reduce your energy bill?

Drain water heat recovery is an effective concept:

The heat from a shower is used to warm up cold water going into the shower and hot water tank, reducing the amount of energy used for the current shower.

During periods of high shower use, this can quickly add up to savings, especially if you have a large household.

So how does it work?

As you can see, draining water clings to the sides of the drain pipe.

By coiling another pipe around the drainpipe, some of the heat can be captured and used to pre-heat incoming water going to the shower and the hot water tank.

Pre-heating the water means less energy is consumed by your hot water heater.

You can install the drain water heat recovery system as part of your existing drainage pipe, attaching the additional piping to the cold water line that runs to your hot water tank and to the shower.

Drainwater heat recovery units like this are available at most consumer plumbing retailers.

Households with high shower use will benefit the most from installing this technology.

Once installed, homeowners should see a steady return on their investment.

It is a worry-free way to save money over the life of your home.