subject: Go Green And Save With Economical Plumbing [print this page] As privileged Americans, one thing that we seem to take for granted and misuse on a daily basis is water. Unlike gasoline or food, we have a never-ending flow of water coming into many rooms of our home, causing us to have a false sense of security in thinking that is not a limited recourse.
Therefore quite how much water do you use in a day? According to the North American Water Works Assn, the average US resident uses about 110 gallons a day. Between fifty and seventy gallons are employed in the home alone! Most of that is utilized up thru our toilets, and then showering, washing, dishes, and drinking.
Preserving water is rarely in the front line of our minds till a drought or dearth hits our community. When the city comes in and claims to only water your yard at particular times of the day, then it is time to think about methods to save! So, the solution is, do your part now, to save water and money for later.
First, one of the easiest and most practical things you can do is stop the dripping! One drip per second from a leaky faucet or pipe can waste up to 5 gallons of water a day-and 1,800 gallons a year. Although that may only average out to a couple of dollars a year, the price of floor repair, for the overlooked leak could be much higher!
Another thing you can do is Go Tankless! One of the biggest fads in today's home-owners, is the tankless water heater! It has been known to conserve up to 50% of the energy you use, since it is only in use when the hot water is needed, unlike a normal heater that runs constantly. It is also not going to leak or flood, as tanks of the past have been known to do.
Also confirm your shower head isn't pushing out more water than required. Place a 1-gallon bucket under the running water, then see how long it takes for it to fill up. If it is less than twenty seconds, replace the showerhead with one that sprays 1.5 gallons per minute. That might save as much as 14,600 gallons of water a year-especially if you restrict your showers to ten mins. It will also save you $22 on your yearly water bill, and $150 every year on water heating.
Many people believe that they are saving when they wash dishes by hand verses using the dish washer. This is a false assumption on so many different levels. Doing a full load in your machine is far more efficient than washing the same number of dishes by hand. This is especially true if you have an Energy Star dishwasher, which requires an average of 4 gallons of water per load, compared with the 24 gallons it takes to do them in the sink. Using one will save you 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time each year.
In a society that's getting more eco-nomical by the day, you wish to do your part at home to save cash and to see your youngsters grow up not being forced to stress about running out of water. If plumbing isn't your forte, have an approved plumber come in and refurbish your pluming to be more eco-friendly!
