How Much Water is Your Family Wasting?

June 13th, 2017 Posted in Water Conservation
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Did you know that the average American family of four uses approximately 146,000 a year? This number has increased by 127% since 1950, which should be cause for alarm. Fresh water is a valuable and finite natural resource, with only 1% of the water on earth suitable for consumption. If you are trying to move to an eco-friendlier lifestyle for your family, one place to start is watching how much water is wasted within your home.

So how can you save water in your home? Start with being aware of your water use. Don’t leave water running down the drain – ever. Shut it off while you brush your teeth, shampoo your hair or shave. Take shorter showers and don’t wash clothes that are still clean. Be frugal about watering your lawn or choose to xeriscape instead. These all add up to saving water and conserving this valuable resource.

One other way to make a substantial change in the water wasted in your home is to convert to water-efficient fixtures and appliances. Swapping out faucets, toilets, washers and showerheads for low-flow options can make a giant difference in your water usage. A family of four can save as much as 24,000 gallons a year just by switching from a conventional toilet to a low-flow model. A low-flow showerhead can save another 12,000 gallons of water per person! It is worth looking into and discussing with your local plumber to reduce your water waste in your home.

Conserving water is everyone’s responsibility. The first place to start is at home with your own family. You can begin by using some of these smart tactics to reduce waste every day.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
106-M Oakgrove Road
Sterling, VA 20166
(703) 435-4441

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Are You Wasting 40,000 Gallons of Water a Year in Your Home?

March 24th, 2015 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Water conservation should be important to everyone; not only is water a limited and vital resource, it’s also something we all pay for in our homes. Unfortunately, many homes waste thousands of gallons of water every year, due to poorly functioning appliances. It’s estimated that a family of four can use an average of 146,000 gallons of water a year, most of that going right down the drain. However, water-efficient appliances can greatly reduce this amount, averaging a savings for the same size family of 40,000 gallons a year.

Water Savings With Water-Efficient Appliances

There are a few different appliances which can offer substantial water-saving benefits to your home, cutting down waste and reducing your water bill. Here are the top four worth investing in for your home:

  • Low-flow toilets. A low-flow toilet that’s flushed 15 times a day can save up to 24,000 gallons a year over a normal flow toilet.
  • Efficient showerheads. For each person in your household who takes a 15 minute shower every day, you could save an estimated 24,000 gallons a year by using a low-flow or efficient showerhead.
  • Low-flow faucets. Just changing your faucet to a low-flow model can save a 1,000 gallons of water per faucet that’s run for four minutes a day.
  • Water-efficient washers. Doing only two loads a week, you can save 2,000 gallons of water by changing to a water-efficient washer.

Every fixture or appliance in your home that uses water has a low-flow or efficient version, which can save thousands of gallons of water per year. Talk to your local plumber about what other fixtures and appliances, like your water heater or dishwasher, can be replaced to save even more water every year.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

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Going Green and Saving Money!

September 28th, 2014 Posted in Water Conservation
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In today’s world, there is a great deal of interest in being environmentally responsible or “going green”, especially in the use of water.  There is also a great deal of interest in reducing costs, as the economy continues to recover from the “great recession”.  There are a number of steps that homeowners can take in regards to their plumbing systems that will not only be environmentally responsible, but also save the homeowner money at the same time! 

A great deal of water is wasted thru the use of older toilets and traditional showerheads.  The EPA has estimated that on a typical home in the United States using traditional toilets, approximately 4,000 gallons of water is wasted per year.  This translates to approximately $90.00 per year in water bills for toilets alone.  Older showerheads use a significant amount of water as well, with traditional showerheads having approximately 2.5 gallons of water per minute flowing thru it. 

Using new WaterSense toilets and showerheads save water and money at the same time.  It is estimated that a WaterSense toilet will use 20% less water per flush than a traditional toilet, while a WaterSense showerhead will reduce the flow of water thru the head to less than 2 gallons per minute.  As with most things, the key to these savings is the technology associated with these new products, which reduce the amount of water required for the fixture to perform without impacting performance or appearance. 

Going “green” with your plumbing fixtures is not only environmentally responsible, but it is also a great way to reduce your expenses in the long term!

Posted on behalf of Find Local Plumber

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Go Green and Save Green on Your Utility Bills

October 25th, 2012 Posted in Faucet Repairs
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If saving the planet is as important to you as saving money, then green is definitely your color! When it comes to water, going green and saving green are often the same things. By reducing the amount of water and energy you use, you reduce energy and water waste and reduce your monthly utility bills as well.

 

There are several techniques, equipment and fixtures that will help you reduce your water use and lower your energy bills at the same time. Consider making these “green” changes around your home:

 

  • Collect rain and gutter run-off. Reuse rain and gutter run-off to water plants around your home, inside and out.

 

  • Fix leaky faucets and toilets. A leaking toilet or faucets can add up to hundreds of gallons wasted each month. Calling a plumber to fix the problem is a greener solution and is less expensive in the long run.

 

  • Convert to high-efficiency fixtures. Faucets, showerheads and many other fixtures come in high-efficiency models. Replace them as you can and switch to the “greener” models. Showerheads alone can save hundreds of gallons of water a month.

 

  • Upgrade appliances. Almost all appliances that use water have energy/water efficient models. Although you may not be able to afford to upgrade all these at once, there are often rebates and tax breaks to encourage you to do so when you can.

 

  • Never let water run down the drain. Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Put in the plug before you start to run your bath water. Rinse items in a plugged sink or tub, not over an open drain. Get the point?

 

Just making a few changes here and there can save you money while you reduce energy and water waste. Go green and you will never look back!

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Water Saving Strategies

March 30th, 2012 Posted in Bathroom Repairs
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Saving water is a great way to reduce your utility bills while doing your part for the environment and helping to ensure that we don’t run out of water in the near future.  There are many ways you can reduce the water consumption in your home without sacrificing comfort and convenience.  In addition, when you save hot water you not only reduce your water bill but you will also see a saving on your energy bills.

About half the water usage in a typical home takes place in the bathroom so that’s a great place to start saving water.  When selecting new water efficient fixtures for your home, look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense is a program run by the EPA that provides certifications for water efficient fixtures.  In order to earn the certification which is done by independent companies, a fixture must use 20% less water than comparable fixtures with no loss of performance.  You can avoid the disappointment of a poorly performing low flow fixture by sticking with WaterSense labeled products.

If you have older toilets that use more than 3 gallons of water per flush, replacing them with low flow toilets will save an average family of four at least 4,000 gallons of water per year.  The average household can save another 2,000 gallons of water per year by installing low flow shower heads and 500 additional gallons by replacing those old faucets with new WaterSense faucets.

In the laundry room, avoid running small loads but if you have to, make sure to change your washer’s water level.  When the time comes for a new washer, choose an Energy Star washer to save up to 15 to 20 gallons of water on every load.  The same goes for your dishwasher.  Wait until it is full before running it and choose an Energy Star model to save water on every load.

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