Drain Water Heat Recovery: Getting the Most Out of Every Drop of Hot Water
In all households, warm water is used and essentially thrown away instantaneously, sending the energy it took to warm the water down the drain as well. A drain water heat recovery system stores the heat from warm or hot water going down the drain and uses it to preheat new warm water coming out of the faucet.
When you take a shower, for example, the hot water going down the drain is normally a waste of energy and money, since the energy used to heat that water has been used. With a drain water heat recovery system, that energy can essentially be recycled to reheat water. It’s an incredible energy- and money-saving system.
Recovery systems with storage capacity can hold on to the heat from previously used warm water from dishwashers, clothes washers, showers and faucets and held to use again. Without storage capacity, the added efficiency is only being recycled continuously through the faucet as you use it. Once you turn the warm water faucet off, the recycled energy is lost.
Even without storage capacity, however, these systems can cut down on water warming costs significantly. Eighty to 90 percent of all energy used to heat water goes directly down the drain, so any method of recycling this energy is worthwhile.
Preheating cold water increases your water heating capacity. If you have a smaller water heater and have struggled to heat large amounts of water, a drain water heat recovery system can help with that as well. These systems also allow you to lower the water heating temperature without sacrificing your heating capacity. With the installation of one of these systems, you can usually expect a payback on the investment between two and seven years, depending on system usage.
For more information on drain water heat recovery systems, or any other home comfort issues, contact the pros at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We proudly serve homeowners throughout the greater Cincinnati area.
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