Comments on: The EcoDrain Cuts Water Heater Use by 40%

By: Renewables At Home

Renewables At Home — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:29:04 +0000

Another great way to cut your water heating bill is by insulating your hot water heater. It’s cheap, you can do it yourself and it should cut costs by about 10 to 15 percent. I recently wrote a blog post on two ways to do this: http://www.renewablesathome.com/energy-conservation/save-energy-free-insulate-hot-water-heater

By: bareotter

bareotter — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:16:50 +0000

I just stop up the drain and let the water cool warming the house in the winter before it goes down the drain. Summer that\’s another story.

By: Oleks

Oleks — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:15:56 +0000

Connecting EcoDrain’s outlet to heater inlet resolves dgle88’s and other problems.

By: Oleks

Oleks — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 05:46:14 +0000

Why on the scheme given below they did not connect water from EcoDrain to heater intake?!!

By: BUSYGREENBEE

BUSYGREENBEE — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:16:34 +0000

There are also these on the market:
http://www.renewability.com/powerpipe.htm
http://www.gfxtechnology.com/VGFX.html

By: dgle88

dgle88 — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:46:00 +0000

I like the idea, but how exactly are you supposed to control it?

It doesn’t directly decrease the water heater usage, it just heats cold water. Personally, I always turn the hot water all the way on and leave the cold water off (my water heater sucks). Wouldn’t that eliminate the usage of this thing?

Also, won’t a lot of people just turn UP the cold water to cool it down rather than turn DOWN the hot? Which would also defeat the purpose, correct?

By: shawnyar217

shawnyar217 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:28:55 +0000

About Draino, this is from the FAQ on the EcoDrain website:

When my drain clogs, I use chemical and/or bacterial
cleaners to unclog it. Is it safe to use these with the
EcoDrain?

The EcoDrain is corrosion resistant and it is as safe to
use chemical and bacterial cleaners with the EcoDrain
as it is for the rest of the piping.

By: crackgerbal

crackgerbal — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:32:02 +0000

I saw this on another blog about six months ago and really liked the idea of using the waste heat from showers. Im glad they coated the inside of the device though otherwise too much hair would build up. The only other concern i have is this: what if your drain clogs and you need to pour some draino down it? Wouldn’t that corrode the coating making it useless?