Sparks of 2026 #2: Showersave
Most retrofit innovations arrive with noise. Controls. Apps. Claims. Showersave arrived with silence. It just works.
The invisible upgrade that makes every hot water system better
Most retrofit innovations arrive with noise. Controls. Apps. Claims.
Showersave arrived with silence. It just works.
You might never have heard of them, but this company are popping up at every show and even have a permanent presence at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre in Swindon.
For anyone new to it, Showersave is a waste water heat recovery device that sits under your shower or against a vertical drain pipe. When you shower, warm water flows away. Showersave captures that heat and feeds it back into the cold inlet. The result is simple. Your hot water system works less. Your energy bills fall. Your heat pump breathes a little easier.
And in 2025, something shifted. Showersave stopped being a clever side-option and became a must-spec item.
Why it exploded this year
• SAP 10 modelling gives waste water heat recovery a clear uplift
• Heat pumps need every watt right now, especially in homes with high hot water demand
• Developers and housing associations have started to treat it as standard
• It is the rare product that installers love because it does not go wrong
There is something beautifully democratic about this technology. No homeowner behaviour. No maintenance schedules. No smart app to ignore. It is pure physics delivering pure efficiency.
Why it earns its place in the 2026 list
Showersave is one of the fastest ways to improve a heat pump install and one of the cheapest. Families with teenagers will get the biggest benefit (where a shower seems like a performance not a chore). Social landlords looking to hit performance obligations can deploy it at scale. Self-builders already treat it as essential.
And for the retrofit sector, it solves a small but important problem. Hot water load. The thing that often derails undersized systems, under-insulated cylinders, and poorly balanced designs. Sometimes the best retrofit intervention is the one you cannot see but feel every day.
2026 is the year it goes mainstream
This is the Christmas Countdown’s quietest star. A device that gives heat pumps headroom, reduces cycling, shortens cylinder recovery times, and supports every other low carbon technology you already use.
If the future of retrofit is simplicity and real world performance, Showersave ticks both boxes.
Up next
Number 3 in Sparks of 2026 drops tomorrow morning.
Todays article was sponsored by Becker and Wolf
Becker & Wolf specializes in cutting-edge technology solutions. Their range of all-in-one heat pumps provides a simpler and more efficient alternative to traditional split units. With everything in one unit, installation is quicker and cost-effective. Perfect for properties where exterior modifications are limited.