Conservation and eco-friendly innovation are increasingly important to many of us. All industries and professions have a part to play in conservation, and that includes plumbing! There are lots of eco-friendly plumbing options that homeowners can choose to reduce water consumption. Many of these plumbing practices reduce energy usage, too, for even greater savings.
1. Water-Efficient Plumbing Fixtures and Appliances
Some green plumbing options involve making big changes to your home’s plumbing systems. Some improvements involve more minor changes. These mean much less financial outlay than a whole new plumbing system. These eco-friendly plumbing options include a range of fixtures and fittings, including shower heads, toilets, and appliances.
Faucets and Shower Heads
Both faucets and shower heads can use up a lot of water very quickly, especially if you love taking baths or long showers. All that hot water has an effect on your energy bills as well as your water usage! You can address both issues by installing WaterSense-certified shower heads and faucets.
These environmentally friendly fixtures reduce water consumption, letting you retrofit older showers and sinks to be more water- and energy-efficient.
- WaterSense faucets can reduce water flow by 30% or more, from the standard 2.2 gallons per minute (GPM) down to a trim 1.5 GPM. Replacing all the faucets in an average family home can save upwards of 700 gallons of water a year.
- Installing a WaterSense shower head can reduce the amount of water you use in the shower from 2.5 GPM down to just 2 GPM. Installing low-flow shower heads can save the average family 2,700 gallons per year.
Toilets
Toilets account for around 30% of all water use in the home. That means that old, outdated toilets can be the most significant source of water waste. Older toilets can waste up to 6 gallons of water per flush. Switching to a WaterSense-certified toilet reduces that to just 1.28 gallons per flush.
If your home’s toilets are older, inefficient models, upgrading to WaterSense toilets can reduce the amount of water used by up to 60%. That means a potential savings of a massive 13,000 gallons of water every year. In dollar terms, that’s a potential saving of up to $140 a year, or $2,900 over the toilet’s lifespan.
Dishwashers and Washing Machines
Both washing machines and dishwashers can use a significant amount of water. There are no WaterSense models for these appliances. However, there are Energy Star-certified options with improved energy and water efficiency.
- Energy Star clothes washers use 20% less energy and 30% less water than regular models. This means a saving of up to $360 over the life of the appliance.
- Energy Star dishwashers save around 3,800 gallons of water over the life of the machine and can cost just $35 a year to run.
By opting for Energy Star appliances, you can save both water and energy with every load you wash. In fact, modern Energy Star-certified dishwashers are so efficient they use less water to run a full dishwasher load than to wash the same dishes by hand!
Water Sprinklers
Lawn and garden care is a major use of water, accounting for around 30% of water use in the average household. US homeowners use 8 billion gallons of water every day for outdoor irrigation.
Lawn care, in particular, uses large amounts of water, but there are ways to reduce how much you use. One option is to make different choices in terms of what you plant. Instead of a huge lawn, for instance, converting part of your yard to xeriscaping can dramatically cut down on water usage.
If you prefer to maintain your lawn, WaterSense-certified irrigation sprinklers are another sustainable plumbing choice. WaterSense sprinklers can save the average household 5,600 gallons of water every year.
2. Solar Heating
Solar energy systems derive energy from the sun and convert it into a form that’s usable in the home. These systems are sustainable in their own right – but by using solar energy to heat your water, too, they’re also an eco-friendly plumbing option. In fact, solar systems can supply 100% of a home’s hot water needs.
But there’s a trade-off. It’s not always possible to install a system that can provide all a home’s energy needs and all of its hot water requirements. Some compromises may be needed to best use the space available for solar installations.
3. Tankless Water Heaters
Tank-style hot water systems provide you with piping hot water when you need it. But, even with a huge 75-gallon tank, there’s always the risk of running out on heavy-use days. And, of course, that’s likely to happen more often in a big household! Plus, with a tank-based system, there’s potentially a lot of energy waste in keeping water hot, even when it’s not needed.
Tankless water heaters solve these problems by heating water on demand and for the number of people demanding the hot water. Water passes through a small heating unit, where water is heated almost instantly to the desired temperature. With these systems, you have an endless supply of hot water without paying for unnecessary heating. Tankless systems can be up to 34% more energy-efficient than hot water tanks, making them an energy-saving and sustainable plumbing option, as long as the convenience of hot water doesn’t mean your family uses more than with a traditional tanked system.
4. gray Water Recycling
Around 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, but only a very small fraction of that water is actually safe to drink. A very, very small percentage of that is freshwater, and even less of it is available to use. In many parts of the US, conserving water has been an important practice when drought makes fresh water a scarce resource.
If you are a homeowner, you can reuse the gray water your home generates. gray water is water that’s already been used for another purpose. For instance, the water that’s used in your washing machine or dishwasher or that you use to take a shower or bath. This water can be collected by hand and used for a wide range of purposes. It’s suitable for flushing toilets, lawn irrigation, and watering ornamental plants.
It’s even possible to permanently install an integrated gray water system to supplement your home’s water supply. These systems automatically collect gray water as it’s discarded down the sink or drain. The collected water is stored in its own tank and then used for purposes that don’t require clean drinking water.
Recycling gray water is an effective way to reduce your impact on the environment and reduce your water bills at the same time. However, if you want to recycle gray water to use on plants, think about what kinds of detergents and cleaners you use. Switching to plant-friendly options is best if you want to use that water for the lawn or watering plants.
5. Black Water Recycling
Black water is the term used to describe water that drains from your toilet after flushing. The idea of using recycled black water for any purpose does seem unappetizing; it’s definitely not something most people are used to. However, even black water that’s properly treated and sanitized can be safe to drink. The key to this innovation lies in how the water is sanitized so that it’s safe for use.
Amazingly, the technology to safely recycle black water does exist. It’s being used right now to recycle water in some US states, including Texas. For instance, in El Paso, treated wastewater is merged with the Hueco Bolson aquifer that serves as the city’s primary water supply in a process that takes around two years. Other Texas cities that use wastewater to supplement their water supply include Wichita Falls and Big Spring.
The sanitization process that’s used is called reverse osmosis. This is the same process that’s used in certain kinds of water filtration systems. In this process, the water is passed through a fine filter that removes most of the contaminants it contains. Any remaining bacteria in the water are killed via ultraviolet sterilization. After this treatment, the water meets municipal water supply standards.
It’s important to note that this process isn’t possible in the average home. Black water can’t be recycled at home into potable drinking water. However, it is possible to filter, sanitize, and recycle the water in a similar way as gray water. For instance, black water can be recycled lawn irrigation and other uses that don’t involve ingestion.
6. Rainwater Harvesting
Also known as rainwater catchment, rainwater harvesting can solve several issues homeowners often run into:
- It provides a free and relatively clean source of water.
- It’s better for watering plants because it’s not chlorinated.
- It reduces stormwater runoff.
- It can help solve drainage issues on your property.
- It provides backup water in case of emergency situations.
You shouldn’t drink rainwater, but plants love it! So it can be used to water them and for other non-potable uses like:
- Washing cars
- Refilling your pool
- Watering your lawn
- Using it in your toilet and washing machine
Collecting rainwater in a barrel is the simplest way to do it. You can start small or set up something large from the start. Another option is a “wet” system, which collects water from multiple downspouts into underground piping and finally into a tank.
Interested in These Eco-Friendly Plumbing Options? Talk to CW Service Pros Today!
Installing sustainable plumbing in your home can have plenty of benefits. If these environmentally friendly plumbing practices sound good to you, call CW Service Pros to learn more. Our plumbing experts will walk you through your options. We can provide plumbing installations, maintenance, and repair as well.
The post 6 Options to Make Your Plumbing More Eco-Friendly appeared first on CW Service Pros.