Drain water heat recovery systems
Social community Drain water heat recovery systems
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Drain water heatr
recovery systems


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.

Récupérateur de chaleur des eaux de drainage

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 it works
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.


Financial assistance from the Energy Efficiency Fund (EEF)2

  • The EEF offers a rebate of $3 per cubic metre 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 project.

Consult the energy savings simulation tool

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



Installation

You can install the heat recovery units yourself3 or you can call on a professional.4

There are different types of installation and the efficiency of the unit varies depending on how it is installed. Consult the Installation Guide (PDF | 189 ko) to learn more, or contact a professional.


Where to find a heat recovery unit

  • The units are available in some Rona and Réno-Dépôt stores in the Montréal area.
  • At Sears HomeCentral, which also offers an installation service.
    Call 1-800-4-MY-HOME® (1-800-469-4663)
  • On line at www.homedepot.ca
  • Available from plumbing contractors and from all plumbing equipment wholesalers.
  • By communicating with one of the two manufacturer/distributors:


Are you eligible for this program?

Housing cooperatives, non profit housing cooperations, 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.

Étape 1 Register

Complete the drain water heat recovery system form before starting the installation.
Étape 2 Wait for confirmation

The EEF will confirm the financial assistance potentially available based on the cubic metres of natural gas to be saved.
Étape 3 Install your heat recovery system

You must carry out work in accordance with the information submitted to the EEF.
Étape 4 Once the installation is completed, send us :

  • Photos taken during and after the renovation work;
  • A copy of the bills for the materials installed and labour;
  • Your request for financial assistance in the form of a bill. Consult the explanations in the document Example of Request for Financial Assistance (PDF | 534 ko).


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 under the title Energy Efficiency Fund financial assistance. 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 to learn more.


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