Eco-friendly plumbing means you can be environmentally responsible, doing your part for the planet, while reducing your carbon footprint, conserving resources and saving money. Many of us have already introduced eco-friendly products into our homes like LED light bulbs or high-efficiency appliances. It just makes good sense to include your plumbing when making these upgrades. Making your home’s plumbing eco-friendly can be easy with a few simple steps.
According to the EPA’s Watersense Program, “Bathrooms are the largest user of water in the home, using more than 50 percent of all indoor water.” Replacing older faucets and shower heads in your bathroom and kitchen with new low flow faucets can pay for itself in water savings in just a year’s time. Today’s low flow fixtures are able to offer the benefits of less water usage without sacrificing on performance. If you’re not in the market to replace all of your fixtures, consider a less expensive alternative and add aerators to your existing fixtures.
Another way to introduce eco-friendly plumbing into your home is by replacing older toilets with new low flow toilets or ultra-low flow toilets, which are designed to use about half the water a traditional toilet uses. The majority of these toilets are designed with a half flush option for liquid waste and a full flush option for solid waste.
Tankless water heaters are an eco-friendly replacement for our traditional tank-style water heaters. These units only heat the water you need (instantly) on demand. Doing so eliminates the need for a storage tank and the standby losses associated with maintaining a full tank of hot water. Tankless units cost more upfront but will pay for themselves over time through energy savings.
Leaks in your home can be a major drain on resources. Research from the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water, has shown that the typical home loses 2,000 to 20,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks. Leaks such as a dripping faucet, a running toilet, or a leaking water heater may be obvious, however, some water leaks are hidden and unless you see a huge jump in your water bill, they may go undetected indefinitely. Having a water detection specialist examine your water line is a great way to ensure that your plumbing system isn’t wasting a valuable resource and costing you in additional utility expenses. Catching minor leaks before they become major leaks will likely prevent expensive water damage to your home.
Eco-friendly plumbing products and practices allow homeowners to conserve natural resources while enjoying the benefits of saving money via lower utility costs. Even by introducing a couple of these changes, you’ll be able to make a difference.
If you are interested in additional plumbing advice, or encounter any problems along the way, give us a call at (407) 219-9772 or schedule an appointment online! We’ll be happy to help you out!