The variety of modern plumbing upgrades is amazing! You no longer have to settle for replacing your fixtures and appliances with the same boring thing. And besides having a stylish, modern design, popularity has increased for water-efficient plumbing upgrades such as eco-friendly toilets and faucets, low-flow showerheads, and more. You won’t use nearly as much water as your old appliances and you will save money over time without sacrificing comfort and convenience.
5 Plumbing Upgrades That Give Savings
Eco-Friendly Toilet
The typical conventional toilet uses anywhere between 3.5 to 5 gallons of water each time you flush. Older toilets can use 7 gallons of water with each flush. With toilets made after 1992, they were designed to meet federal government plumbing standards for water use of 1.6 gallons per flush. And while the first toilets manufactured under this standard were notoriously poor flushes, newer designs with more eco-friendly toilets have made purchasing a new toilet practical. High-efficiency toilets certified under the EPA’s WaterSense program use 1.28 gallons per flush or less. They are very functional with their flush and use substantially less water compared to older models. So, when it comes to saving water a great start is getting a new toilet.
Modern Faucets
Old faucets use a lot of water and their inefficiency increases with age. Faucets installed prior to 1992 typically used 3 to 7 gallons per minute (GPM). From 1992 to 1998, faucets used less water with reductions as low as 2.5 GPM. Then with new standards in 1998, faucets had to flow no more than 2.2 GPM at 60 psi. The many modern styles of today’s faucets have luxury features such as longer faucet heads, handheld extensions, low-flow designs, and easy handless water shutoff for increased functionality. You will be amazed at your options!
Low-Flow Shower Heads
Changing your showerhead to a low-flow design can provide great savings. Compared to a typical showerhead using 2 gallons of water per minute, a low-flow showerhead saves 25% or more water. There are two design types that allow you to get reduced water flow without sacrificing water pressure. The aerator design pulls air through the air ducts. The laminar low-flow showerheads use individual parallel water streams that help reduce the steam while showering.
Tankless Water Heaters
Conventional water heaters have improved in their energy efficiency, but they still waste money. They let water sit in a tank while continuously heating it until you are ready to use it. Then you find yourself at the sink running water, waiting for it to get hot. It’s no wonder then that the tankless water heater is so popular. When there is no tank, you have a mechanism that heats the water on-demand, when you need it. Getting a tankless unit is a water savings option that is worth evaluating.
Piping and Insulation
Unless your home was just built or you’ve already improved on the insulation around your pipes, most plumbing systems in homes are not properly insulated. This causes heat loss and makes your water heater work harder. It’s suggested that you insulate your pipes as soon as possible. If your house has older piping with galvanized steel which corrodes and clogs your system, or blue or grey poly which is prone to leaks, you should plan on replacing your piping.
With better efficiency, don’t wait for a fixture or appliance to break before making plumbing upgrades. You can start conserving water and saving money on your water bill immediately. In fact, if you haven’t upgraded your plumbing system in some time, you could literally be flushing money down the drain.
High Priority Plumbing can help you select the right plumbing upgrades for your lifestyle. We can replace piping and install all types of fixtures and appliances. Call us for more information at 770.860.8110 in Atlanta.