Water is invaluable to our daily lives. However, you may be paying more for your home’s water than you really need to. Reducing your family’s water use not only lowers your water bill: if less water is heated by your water heater, then it can also lower your electric/gas bill too. And when you reduce your impact on water demand, you also reduce the freshwater being pulled from precious (and often dwindling) surface and groundwater supplies. So, reducing your family’s demand for water can have both a personal and environmental impact.
How Does Saving Water Save Money?
We all know that saving energy saves you money, but can the same be said of water? The answer is a resounding yes.
Standard showerheads and faucets use between three and seven gallons of water per minute. In ten minutes, that runs 30 to 70 gallons of water down the drain. The EPA says by simply changing to approved water-saving faucets, an average family could save 700 gallons of water every year. That’s 700 gallons less to pay for from your utility company, and 700 fewer gallons to heat up in your water heater. Sounds like substantial savings, doesn’t it?
Related Topic: How to Fix a Dripping Faucet
How Do Water-Saving Faucets Work?
Many skeptical homeowners are concerned that low-flow faucets will ruin their water pressure, but that’s not the case. Water-saving faucets are designed to reduce the volume of water flow while maintaining water pressure.
Depending on your preference, here are several different low-flow options to consider:
Aerator: This is a water-saving attachment that forces water through several small openings. Those holes infuse the water with air to maintain water pressure. Some faucets are designed with this attachment; if there’s a screen at the opening of your faucet, that’s the aerator. Most faucets can be modified to fit an aerator insert.
Laminar: This type of faucet forces water through a few large openings, creating a gentle and relaxing flow of water. Rain showerheads work well with this type of device because it creates a relaxing water flow that mimics rainfall.
Infrared sensor: This type of faucet uses infrared light to sense hand movement beneath the faucet, which initiates water flow. When the hands move away from the sensor, the water flow stops. This prevents the faucet from being left on when it’s not needed and reduces the amount of water usage.
Self-closing: Self-closing faucets are spring loaded and designed to turn off within a few seconds after the faucet is turned on.
Foot-operated: This faucet allows individuals to turn on the water at a pre-set temperature with just the tap of the foot.
Save Water, Energy, and Money
Wasting water can have a negative impact on you, your family, and the environment. Taking a few relatively simple steps, like installing low-flow faucets and showerheads, can help you save water and reduce your monthly utility and energy cost.
If you need help, or have other questions about how to save water, contact your local Mr. Rooter. Whether you need faucet and showerhead upgrades or want to learn more about maximizing your water efficiency, give us a call. To get started, call (855) 982-2028 or request an estimate online today.