Install a drain water heat recovery unit and save!

By installing a drain water heat recovery unit¹, you could save up to 40 % on your costs for water heating.

How it works Water from showers contains a significant amount of energy that goes directly down the drain. Installing a drain water heat recovery system means you can recycle some of that energy. Wastewater from the shower flows down the inner wall of the copper pipe and preheats the fresh water from the water supply system which is simultaneously ascending through the coiled copper tubes. The preheated fresh water will therefore be warmer when it enters the water heater, and subsequently when it is sent to the shower.

How the drain water heat recovery system works

Advantages

• The water heater uses less energy for heating water to the desired temperature;
• The water heater supplies hot water longer;
• The system requires no maintenance and has a service life of 30-50 years.

Eligible units

The units recognized by the EEF and admissible for the financial assistance program are:

• Unit with an efficiency rating of 30-42%
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  Power-Pipe R2-36 Power-Pipe R2-42 Power-Pipe R2-48 Power-Pipe R2-54 Power-Pipe R3-30 Power-Pipe R3-36 Power-Pipe R4-24 Power-Pipe R4-30	Eco-GFX S3-40-2 Eco-GFX 2340-B
  If your unit is not on the list, contact the EEF.

• Unit with an efficiency rating over 42%
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  Power-Pipe R2-60 Power-Pipe R2-66 Power-Pipe R2-72 Power-Pipe R2-84 Power-Pipe R2-120 Power-Pipe R3-42 Power-Pipe R3-48 Power-Pipe R3-54 Power-Pipe R3-60 Power-Pipe R3-66 Power-Pipe R3-72 Power-Pipe R3-120 Power-Pipe R4-36 Power-Pipe R4-42 Power-Pipe R4-48 Power-Pipe R4-54 Power-Pipe R4-60 Power-Pipe R4-66 Power-Pipe R4-72 Power-Pipe R4-120	Eco-GFX S3-60-2 Eco-GFX S4-40-2 Eco-GFX S4-60-2 Eco-GFX G3-40-1 Eco-GFX G3-60-1 Eco-GFX 1340 Eco-GFX 1360-A Eco-GFX 2360-B Eco-GFX 2440-B Eco-GFX 2460-B
  If your unit is not on the list, contact the EEF.

Financial assistance from the Energy Efficiency Fund (EEF)²

• The EEF offers a rebate of $3.50 per cubic meter of natural gas saved on the purchase and installation of a drain water heat recovery system;
• The maximum assistance granted is $100,000, up to a limit of 75 % of the cost of the project, considering all financial assistances received or allowed.

Savings

The greater the simultaneous use of hot water, the greater the savings. Consult the energy savings tool to calculate the potential savings.

Examples of annual savings

Number of showers/day	Average duration of shower	Annual savings
4	8 minutes	$134
6	9 minutes	$227
8	10 minutes	$337

* Example for a mixed connection with a standard water heater in Montréal.
The unit is the same in the three examples and the price of the natural gas is $0.59/m³

Where to find a heat recovery unit

You can now purchase a drain water heat recovery system in some Rona and Réno-Dépôt stores, Home Depot or Le Centre du foyer Sears, or you can contact your plumber or contractor.

Plumbers and contractors can purchase a drain water heat recovery system from a distributor of their choice: Master, Emco, Wolseley, Deschênes, Armstrong, Solénove Énergie Québec Inc. or many others.

You can also call directly any of the three companies shown below, who will, in turn, recommend a plumber authorized for the installation of your drain water heat recovery system:

Are you eligible for this program?

Housing cooperatives, non profit housing cooperatives, and social community organizations servicing low income clients whose building’s water heater is mainly supplied by natural gas are eligible.

Steps to follow:

You have up to 3 months following the installation of your drain water heat recovery system to make a request for financial assistance.

	Register Complete the drain water heat recovery system form before starting the installation.
	Wait for confirmation The EEF will confirm the financial assistance potentially available based on the cubic meters of natural gas to be saved.
	Install your heat recovery system You must carry out work in accordance with the information submitted to the EEF.
	Once the installation is completed, send us : Photos taken during and after the renovation work; A copy of the bills for the purchase of the drain water heat recovery unit and labour.

1	Financial assistance is available only for equipment meeting the requirements established by the EEF. The units currently recognized appear on this page according to their efficiency rating under the title Eligible units. Contact the EEF for further details regarding the units currently recognized.
2	Limit of one rebate per account number. The financial assistance offered under the ecoENERGY Retrofit program may be added to the financial assistance from the EEF. However, the ecoENERGY Retrofit program is no longer accepting bookings for pre-retrofit evaluations. The program will continue to be administered until March 31, 2011. Program subject to change without prior notice.
3	The owner may do the plumbing work himself for a single-family home, or when the cost of renovation work is less than $20,000, for all types of buildings. The work must conform to the Québec Building Code.
4	In some cases, the installation of a drain water heat recovery unit could result in a loss of pressure. Consult a professional for more information.