Plumbing Practices for an Eco-Friendly House

With concern for the environment at an all-time high, many families are looking for ways to become more environmentally friendly by reducing their water consumption. This not only has great benefits for the environment, but it can help to save your family a significant amount of money in the long run by reducing the demand on and thus the cost of water and sewage services in your area.

1. Eco-friendly toilets:
   There are several different kinds of eco-friendly toilets available on the market today: Low gallon-per-flush toilets help to conserve water by reducing the amount in the tank, thus using less clean water for each flush. Dual-flush toilets have buttons for long or short flushes, allowing you to customize the amount of water used to your immediate needs. Pressure-assisted toilets use compressed air to help push water from the tank to the bowl, requiring less water than gravity-fed models.
2. Water-efficient fixtures:
   An average family of four in North America can use up to 400 gallons of water per day, and up to 15% of that is attributed to faucets. Most standard faucets provide far more water pressure than what is typically required, making water-efficient fixtures a great alternative. By reducing the flow rate in your sink by up to 30%, these sinks can greatly reduce water consumption without affecting performance. Installing aerators on all sink faucets is another great way to help reduce the flow rate, lowering consumption.

   Showers are another big part of household water usage and, just like faucets, often deliver more water pressure and a higher flow rate than is strictly required. Replacing old showerheads with low-flow or adjustable-flow models can reduce water use by 30% without noticeably affecting the performance of your shower.

3. Water-efficient appliances:
   There are many appliances that use large quantities of water in the home and most of them are available in more efficient energy- and water-saving models. Everything from washers, hot water heaters, dishwashers, and refrigerators is available with EnergyStar ratings to help you choose the most efficient and cost-effective model for your family.
4. Tankless water heaters:
   A clever new way to save on heat and water, tankless water heaters provide “on-demand” hot water by flash heating 2-5 gallons at a time. The water is only heated when the hot water is turned on, preventing excessive electricity usage and evaporation due to heat. Higher efficient and durable, these tankless systems can last up to 20 years.

Next time you consider a renovation to your home, we hope you will consider some of these fantastic plumbing solutions to help your family become more environmentally friendly and aware of your water use.