Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures Save Water and Energy: Here’s How

Saving water and energy is a smart and responsible decision for your budget and the environment. Low-flow plumbing fixtures provide an excellent solution to cut down on water consumption without compromising performance. Find out about the benefits of water-efficient fixtures, how they compare to traditional models and practical tips to conserve even more water in your day-to-day life.

How Much Water Do Low-Flow Fixtures Save?

These more efficient plumbing fixtures first started gaining traction in the 1990s. The shift was largely driven by heightened awareness of water conservation issues and our environmental impact. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 established maximum flow rates for faucets, showerheads and toilets across the United States, encouraging the public adoption of a new generation of low-flow plumbing fixtures. This initial legislation paved the way for more efficient faucets and showerheads designed for reining in water consumption while maintaining the same level performance.

Think about how much water low-flow fixtures need compared to their older counterparts:

• Faucets: The conventional designs of most faucets run at about 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm), whereas low-flow faucets lower to 1.5 gpm or less without sacrificing water pressure.
• Showerheads: The old standard for showerheads was 2.5 gpm. Today’s showerheads reduce water use to 2.0 gpm or less.
• Toilets: Older toilets may use as many as 7 gallons per flush (gpf). On the other hand, the current federal standard maximum is 1.6 gpf, with many dual-flush models using as little as 1.28 gpf.

The Designs Enabling Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures

Low-flow fixtures take advantage of a few different ways to maintain performance while using less water. Here’s how they can do so:

• Aerators: A number of low-flow faucets and showerheads feature aerators, a component that mixes air with water to preserve the water pressure while still cutting down on the volume of water required.

• Flow restrictors: These devices control the amount of water that moves through the fixture while preventing a noticeable drop in pressure.

• Dual-flush technology: Many low-flow toilets have two flush options—one for liquid waste using less water, and a fuller flush for solid waste. This further controls water use based on need.

Four Advantages of Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures

Switching to low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets provides benefits in numerous ways:

1. Reducing water waste: The EPA’s Water Sense program estimates that you can save 700 gallons of water per year by replacing the traditional faucets in your home with new, low-flow fixtures.
2. Smaller water bills: Low-flow fixtures can cut your monthly utility bills by using less water. As a matter of fact, a WaterSense-labeled showerhead can save 4 gallons of water whenever you shower, which starts to add up over time.
3. Lower water heating costs: Using less water for daily chores also means you use less hot water, which means another boost to your savings by reducing water heating costs.
4. Helping ensure a long plumbing system life span: Less water flow means there’s a much smaller load on your plumbing system, hopefully lengthening its life and lowering the need for repairs.

Tips on How You Can Save Even More Water

While these water-saving fixtures are highly effective on their own, you can do more to conserve water whenever you use them. Here are some of the most common:

• Take quicker showers: Even with low-flow showerheads, you can still waste water if you shower for too long. Shortening your shower time by a minute or two conserves water and reduces energy use.
• Turn off the water whenever you brush your teeth: Try and only leave the tap running if you’re actively using it. Once you leave the bathroom or take a couple of minutes to actually brush your teeth, switch off the faucet so you aren’t wasting water.
• Use dual-flush toilets appropriately: The dual-flush feature only helps you if everyone at home knows how to use it. Start with the half-flush button for liquid waste and only select the full flush for solid waste. Certain handle-flush toilets feature dual-flush capabilities. A light flush uses less water, while keeping the handle depressed releases the standard amount of water to remove solid waste more effectively.
• Don’t flush trash: Toilets are exclusively designed to process toilet paper and human waste. Flushing anything else needlessly wastes water and sharply increases the risk of a clog forming. Do your water bills a favor by only throwing away facial tissues, paper towels, cotton balls and all other non-flushable products in the trash can.
• Take care of leaks promptly: Even low-flow fixtures may leak, wasting more water and lowering efficiency. Make an effort to regularly check for leaks and resolve any you find to maintain your water conservation efforts.

Install Low-Flow Fixtures Today

Are you ready to reduce your water usage and increase savings? Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to help! We install quality low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets to promote water and energy conservation. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can rely on us to follow through on the promise of superior products and services you deserve. If you’re ready to install low-flow plumbing fixtures or would like more water conservation tips, please contact us today.