Daily Home Renovation Tips

OK, we have had so far 10 separate posts reviewing our Energy Efficiency Evaluation Report received under the ecoENERGY Grant program.  A few of these posts had outstanding questions for which we have received answers and we would like to share them with  you, starting with the DWHR device reviewed in the following post:

ecoENERGY Report - Part 7 - Recommendations

The Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) energy conservation device will use the heat from water leaving the shower drain, dishwasher, bathtub drain and so on to help warm the fresh water coming into the house from the outside (don’t worry, the DWHR does not mix the dirty and clean water together ).

I was not able to find on my own whether a DWHR device would work with an instantaneous (tank-less) water heating system. Comments received from both Andre Cayer of Watercycles Energy Recovery Inc. and Kate Butler of Sustainable Energy Solutions Ltd  that both can work together very nicely. My thanks for them sharing their expertise.

Further, I have learned that a DWHR device (also branded by some retailers as the ‘power pipe’) can also extend the life of a water heater. How? Well, the fresh water coming into the water heater around 27 degrees Celsius (give or take) will be less of a ’shock’ to the water heater than if the fresh water entered at its usual cold temperature of around 12 degrees Celsius (give or take). I also think that since the heating elements work less with the fresh water entering the water heater at a warmer temperature, the life expectancy of these heating elements would also be extended.

While this may not mean anything to a home owner who rents his / her water heater, it will to those who may own their water heater. And, both the renter and the owner share in the indirect benefit of less landfill being used for worn out heating elements and water heaters which may not be recyclable.