If you have ever considered going green, one place to start is the plumbing in your home. Modern fixtures use less water and appliances use less energy than models made in previous decades. However, by opting for the most efficient fixtures, you can maintain your lifestyle while more drastically cutting down on your water use.
What Is Green Plumbing?
Green plumbing makes your home more environmentally friendly by using less energy and water for your plumbing appliances and fixtures. For instance, by replacing your current showerhead with a newer model, you could reduce water use by 36%. More efficient toilets use 20% less water per flush. And new faucets can shrink your water usage by 31%.
Green appliances that connect to your plumbing include water treatment systems and water heaters. Because water heaters can use up to 25% of a home’s energy, choosing a more efficient tankless model can cut down on the power or fuel needed for heating water.
Why Is Green Plumbing Necessary Today?
If you live in Southern California, you can feel the effects of the constantly changing environment regularly, especially droughts. During times of reduced rainfall, cities often ask their citizens to reduce water use. This request is to ensure that everyone has enough water. And, the problem is not just in California. In 2014, 40 out of 50 states anticipated water shortages from average use somewhere in the state.
However, to prevent the need to request cutbacks, all people in the area should adopt more water-efficient lifestyles, starting with their plumbing systems.
When you integrate green plumbing fixtures into your home, you won’t have to change your habits as much to see major savings in the amount of water you and your family use. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that you can reduce up to 20% of your water use by installing water-efficient fixtures.
What You Should Look for in Green Plumbing Fixtures and Appliances
When evaluating green appliances and fixtures, look for the most efficient models possible. While comparing gallons per minute and other numbers can become confusing, you don’t have to. Instead, you can look for the WaterSense label. The EPA’s WaterSense label goes on products that use up to 20% less water. They also have performance that equals or surpasses standard models.
The water savings can add up. For example, by remodeling your bathroom with all WaterSense-labeled fixtures, the water savings alone could pay for the upgrade in a year. Consider the amount of money you save in reduced water use when comparing prices of new plumbing fixtures. Often, the green plumbing options will cost less over time than standard models.
Contact Plumbing Concepts for All Your Green Plumbing Upgrades
The secret to living a more environmentally friendly life is to contact us at Plumbing Concepts to install green plumbing fixtures throughout your home. Phone us at (951) 520-8590 to set up a visit from one of our professional plumbers to see how much water your home can save through upgrades to your plumbing system.
