There are many plumbing fixtures available to consumers to save water and save money. But in order to implement them, you have to know they exist. Read on to learn about several ideas that you can implement in your own home to start saving today!
Saving money through efficient plumbing fixtures really isn't too difficult if you know what the options are. Unfortunately,
unless you work with these things every day or just really like reading about plumbing fixtures, you probably don't know about many of these items. So, take a few moments to familiarize yourself with a few of your options and maybe even implement a few around your house to start saving water and money today.
In terms of water usage, the EPA Water Sense rating is going to be a very important factor in deciding which fixtures you will purchase. Much like the Energy Star rating for appliances to showcase the relative energy efficiency of items, the Water Sense rating will let consumers know which are the most water efficient fixtures.
So, what are the areas of plumbing where we can benefit from more efficient fixtures? Almost everywhere you can name. Toilets, sinks, showers, and water heaters all have water saving fixtures available.
Toilets
For toilets, the really adventurous can look into composting models that use very little, if any, water. These toilets will take the waste, convert the liquid portion to vapor and vent it outside, and convert the solid portion to fertilizer. It doesn't get any greener than this but the cost can be rather high.
On a more practical level, there are numerous low flow models, and also a variation known as a dual flush unit. These types of toilets will save significant amounts of water.
For businesses that would like to save water, an additional option to consider is a waterless urinal. These fixtures are very cleverly designed and very easy to maintain.
Sink and Shower Options
In this area, the options are mostly in the arena of water saving faucets that use less water while delivering the same performance to which that people have grown accustomed. One example is the low flow aerator. This is a simple device that you attach to your existing faucet head. These will slow the flow of water to result in a lower water usage while maintaining sufficient pressure to ensure performance.
The shower head itself can be replaced by one of the numerous options that exist on the market. Many can be purchases for just a few dollars and installed by a homeowner that is handy with a couple of tools. There are some models built to allow a higher water pressure and better performance while using less water.
Mostly for businesses, one can also take a good look at faucets that operate using a sensor to know when to let water flow and when to stop. These are actually quite efficient.
Water Heaters That Save
The leader in the water saving models is the tankless design. These will provide a home with plenty of hot water while saving energy. The tankless model is vastly more efficient through a design that only requires water to be heated when it is needed and only heats the amount that is need.
For the ultimate energy-efficient model, the solar water heater is the unit of choice. These models, while being the king of the energy-saving options, are also the king of the most costly options.
These are a few of the ideas that a homeowner can implement to save money and water. While the water conserving fixtures may cost more initially, they do tend to pay for themselves over time and are worth strong consideration.
