Beat the Drought with These Plumbing Updates

Cutting back on your water consumption is not only beneficial for the environment, but also for your finances. Chances are you could be saving a significant sum on future water bills by investing in greener, more efficient plumbing fixtures. If your household is like most other households, conserving energy and valuable water resources will certainly save you hundreds of dollars throughout the year. With parts of California in extreme drought conditions, saving water is a high priority for many. If saving money and being more efficient sounds like something that interests you, read on.

How Much Savings Are We Talking About Exactly?

By updating all the water fixtures in your home to environmentally friendly models, you’re looking at a savings of up to 30% per year, if not more. In fact, you’re guaranteed to pay off your investment in no time, if you factor in the additional energy savings from less water consumption.

Toilets are generally heavy water consumers, but leaky toilets, alone, can consume an increased 40% of water. Leaky faucets alone can waste up to 3000 gallons of water per year. To paint a more staggering image, leaky pipes, toilets and faucets can waste thousands of gallons per month.

If you consider the environmental benefits, such as saving the earth for generations to come, then truly, no amount can equate to your overall savings.

Where Should You Start?

Truthfully, updating all water fixtures at home with greener options can be quite the endeavor. To ease the stress, contact your local professional plumber, who knows precisely where to start and will offer guidance through the entire project. Another option is to invest in one fixture at a time to lessen the financial stress. Though it may take some time to conclude the project, remember that you’ve started it, and that’s the most important step to conserving water.

Here Are Some Suggestions on Updating Your Plumbing Fixtures

Low-Flow Faucets and Faucet Aerators:

Installing low-flow faucets and faucet aerators is an easy, fast, and cost-efficient way to use less water. By switching to low-flow faucets, you can cut back your water consumption by 60%, saving on your subsequent water bills. You can save up to 7.5 gallons of water per year by switching to more efficient low-flow showerheads. Additionally, you’ll possibly receive extra savings on subsequent utility bills due to your reduced hot water intake. You will barely notice—if at all—a difference in water pressure. The only difference is the reduction in water output.

Dual-Flush Toilets:

Dual-Flush toilets let you select how much water will be required to flush your waste. With a dual-flush toilet, you’ll consume a fraction of the water consumed by traditional toilets when flushing liquids, and the traditional one to two gallons of water with solids.

Energy Efficient Appliances:

Investing in energy efficient appliances such as a clothes washer and dishwasher can cut down the water consumption of these appliances by up to 50%.

Install a Leak-Monitoring Device:

A simple leak-monitoring device will alert you of a leak, which you can take care of right away.

Spring-Loaded Timer:

A spring-loaded timer attached to your outside faucet will prevent overwatering the lawn when you’ve forgotten to shut off the sprinkler.

Investing in greener plumbing fixtures is one of the best things you can do for your household in terms of savings. It’s a sure and easy way to cut back on unnecessary and excessive water usage, and to save money from your bills.