Earth Day is an annual international event and an opportunity to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Making a difference can start in the home. Let’s explore potential plumbing changes that can make your household more environmentally friendly.
Protect Against Hard Water
Water hardness refers to how much calcium carbonate is in your water. The problem with calcium carbonate is that it can form limescale. Scale decreases energy efficiency, reduces appliance lifespan, lowers water pressure, damages pipes, and so on. If you don’t know how hard your water is, contact your local plumber to test it.
Even moderately hard water can cost you hundreds of dollars annually in bigger energy bills and increased home maintenance. There are several solutions to deal with it. Anti-scale devices are effective as local solutions, such as for water heaters and other major appliances. Whole-home water softeners protect every aspect of your plumbing. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are an alternative. RO is not only effective for water softening but also water purification.
Schedule Routine Water Heater Maintenance and Consider an Upgrade
Most water heaters ship from the factory set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That is not only wasteful for the average household but can present a scalding risk. Set your system to 120 degrees instead. The water will be plenty hot, and you’ll save money.
You should also schedule water heater maintenance at least once a year. Traditional tank water heaters require regular flushing and periodic anode rod replacement. Tankless water heaters require regular descaling. In both cases, your plumber must check the insulation. Worn or inadequate insulation can be a significant source of energy loss.
Old water heaters are notorious for using excessive electricity or fuel. If you have an older unit, consider an upgrade. On-demand systems use less energy while delivering a virtually unlimited hot water supply. Among fuel-burning tank water heaters, there are high-efficiency condensing models. Among electric solutions, heat pump water heaters can be even more efficient than tankless solutions.
Upgrade Your Toilets to High-Efficiency Models
Toilets are the main source of water usage in the average U.S. home. This is an area where you can make a major difference in water conservation while saving money over time. The federal limit for new toilets is 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF). Older toilets can use as much as 7 GPF. High-efficiency toilets use 1.28 GPF or less. They’re easy to spot because they have the WaterSense label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Upgrading to low-flow toilets as part of your plumbing remodeling project can lower toilet-related water use by as much as 50%. The average household can save $2,000 or more over the life of each high-efficiency toilet. You can also opt for dual-flush toilets. Those give you the option to use even less water when you don’t need maximum flushing power.
Enhance Your Showers With Low-Flow Showerheads
Federal standards limit showerheads to 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). Older showerheads can use several times more than that. WaterSense showerheads are a relatively small investment, and they use 2.0 GPM or less. A common concern about low-flow showerheads is low water pressure. What you should know about WaterSense certification is that it takes the user experience into account. Lower water usage alone isn’t good enough.
Swap Out Faucets With Low-Flow, Touchless Alternatives
If you don’t have aerators on your current faucets, add them. Most are compatible with any faucet that has threads on the end. Aerators mix air into the water stream to conserve water by a significant amount. They also improve the perception of water pressure.
When upgrading your faucets, look for low-flow models. These will often have integrated aerators and other design enhancements to lower water usage. You may also want to consider faucets with sensors for touchless operation. Touchless faucets can save even more water while fostering a more hygienic environment.
Practice Good Garbage Disposal Habits
Garbage disposals make kitchen cleanup a lot easier and slow the rate of trash accumulation. That said, you need to run the water when you operate them, and that’s potentially wasteful. To avoid waste, gather all the scraps ahead of time, and only run the disposal once.
Professional Plumbing Solutions in Greater Seattle
Raymark Plumbing & Sewer is a plumbing contractor in Seattle, WA that’s served area homeowners since 1977. Our licensed plumbers perform routine inspections, camera inspections, and annual maintenance. We have plumbers on call 24/7 for emergency repairs. Our plumbers also install kitchen and bathroom fixtures, water softeners, and much more. If you have questions or want to schedule a service appointment or in-home consultation, contact us today.
