3 Tips for a Greener Home In Honor of St. Paddy’s Day
With more people playing it safe and staying home, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in 2021 may be a more scaled-down affair than usual. But what better way to kick off the festivities than to turn the whole house green? No, not with food coloring, paint, or streamers (though those are always an option), but with eco-friendly “green” plumbing practices. Read on to discover a few of the best tips and tricks for reducing water waste.
Water-Saving Faucets & Fixtures
Most homeowners don’t realize how much water is being wasted by their fixtures alone. Older sink faucets, showerheads, and toilets can needlessly send hundreds of gallons of water down the drain every month. Some worry that they’ll have to sacrifice pressure for efficiency, but this isn’t necessarily true. The EPA puts their “WaterSense” label on fixtures that conserve water without diminishing efficacy.
The latest performance showerheads are designed to provide excellent pressure using 30% less water than a standard head. Water-saving bathroom sink faucets reduce the maximum water flow from 2.2 down to 1.5 gallons per minute, without a significant loss of pressure. High-efficiency toilets use pressure and gravity - rather than water volume - to flush waste. Some such toilets use as little as 1.3 gallons per flush, while a standard toilet uses 3.5 gallons or more.
Upgrade To an Energy-Efficient Water Heater
One great way for homeowners to save money and reduce their carbon footprint is to install a high-efficiency water heater. These water heaters achieve greater efficiency in several ways. The most common types resemble traditional storage tank-style units but feature smaller tanks and more insulation to reduce heat loss. Tankless water heaters heat water only on demand but may not be ideal for large families.
More advanced and specialized units draw heat from external sources rather than producing it themselves, such as solar-thermal or heat pump water heaters. Some models derive or recycle heat from a space-heating unit like a boiler or HVAC heat pump. Homeowners should consult with their plumber to assess which type will be most effective for their home.
Green Habits for Conserving Water
Upgrading to more efficient fixtures and appliances will undoubtedly produce the most noticeable changes in the utility bill. But when it comes to saving water and energy, the little things make a big difference. Bad water habits can potentially account for thousands of gallons of water wasted per year. For instance, leaving the faucet running while brushing one’s teeth is said to send 3,000 gallons of water down the drain every year. That’s a lot of wasted water - and money - so make sure to only turn on the water for rinsing!
Other ways to prevent needless water waste include:
- Reducing time spent in the shower
- Not waiting for the water to get hot to hop in the shower
- Washing dishes by hand
- Only flush toilet paper down the toilet
Breaking the old habits may take some time and discipline, but between the money saved and the satisfaction of helping preserve the environment, it’s well worth the trouble.
About Oak Plumbing
Since its founding in 2016, Oak Plumbing has become Benicia, CA's trusted plumber. As an award-winning and highly-rated local business, they provide each customer with honest, no-surprise pricing, financing, and speedy response times. Their friendly technicians are licensed, bonded, insured, background-checked & drug-tested. Call now for expert water heater service!