Whether you’re committed to supporting sustainable practices or simply want to leave a smaller carbon footprint, your home’s plumbing can be one of your best options. Discover six eco-friendly plumbing solutions that will help you conserve water and energy.
There are many different types of plumbing pipes that can carry water to and from your fixtures. Choosing the right piping material can make a big difference in your home’s sustainability.
Eco-Friendly Drainage
Your home is more than a place where you sleep and relax; it’s your haven, a cocoon where you are unapologetically you. Doesn’t a place that special deserve the creme de la creme of care? Thankfully, premium plumbing solutions are available to help keep your home pristine and livable without posing a risk to the environment.
One of the most important eco-friendly plumbing solutions is to invest in high-performing toilets and shower heads, which reduce water usage by as much as 20%. In addition, installing a low-flow dishwasher and washing machine will significantly reduce your monthly water and energy bills. To further reduce your carbon footprint, consider using a programmable thermostat or installing insulation in your pipes. According to Warner Service, properly insulated pipes can reduce heat loss by up to 80 percent.
The piping that brings water into and out of your home is important for several reasons, including sewage disposal, hot and cold water supply and stormwater drainage. In order to minimize leakage and waste, it’s essential to use copper or PEX piping. These types of piping are highly durable and corrosion-resistant, as well as flexible.
If you’re unsure which type of pipe is best for your home, consult a licensed plumber to learn more about each type of pipe and its function. Additionally, install a water pressure regulator to avoid overuse of water. Another option is to use a faucet aerator, which cuts your water consumption by up to half.
During heavy rains, it’s common for homeowners to find themselves dealing with deep, lingering puddles in the yard. To prevent your property from becoming a swamp, install a French drain or perforated piping that redirects rainfall and water runoff away from the home.
Regardless of which type of drain pipes you have, it’s essential to regularly clean your drains. Clogged drains are a homeowner’s worst nightmare, but fortunately, there are many eco-friendly cleaning products on the market that can help you tackle them without harming the environment or your plumbing system.
Energy-Efficient Fixtures
Using eco-friendly plumbing repair solutions can reduce your household’s energy consumption, saving you money on water and electricity bills over time. Many people are aware that their home’s heating and cooling systems can be energy-efficient, but the plumbing system is also an important part of your home’s energy efficiency. There are several ways that you can make your plumbing more eco-friendly, such as repairing leaks and upgrading to low-flow fixtures.
A plumbing system that is inefficient uses more resources than necessary, resulting in high utility bills over an extended period of time. An experienced plumber can assess your current plumbing system to determine where the problems lie and recommend improvements that will improve efficiency. The best way to improve your plumbing’s energy-efficiency is by replacing old pipes with new PEX pipes. This material is better than traditional copper or PVC, and it’s less prone to corrosion and damage.
Replacing faucets with high-efficiency models is another easy way to save water and energy in your home. These faucets use aerators to mix air into the water stream, allowing you to get a steady flow of clean, refreshing water while lowering your household water usage. In addition, these faucets are available in a wide variety of styles, making them an attractive and affordable addition to any kitchen or bathroom.
Another eco-friendly plumbing solution is to install smart appliances. These appliances come equipped with sensors that detect water misuse and excessive dripping and automatically shut off the supply of water to prevent further damage. These smart appliances are becoming increasingly popular and can be purchased from a variety of manufacturers. However, it’s important to have your plumbing installed by a professional to ensure that the systems are working correctly.
Another way to help reduce your water and energy consumption is by insulating your pipes. This will keep your hot and cold water from escaping, and it will also protect against freezing in the winter. This simple and cost-effective measure will significantly lower your utility bills over the long term.
Smart Faucets
A smart faucet is a great way to reduce your household’s water usage and help the environment at the same time. It works by preheating the water to the temperature you select and only dispenses what is necessary. This can save you hundreds of gallons of water a year and significantly lower your utility bills.
Smart Faucets also provide you with a lot of convenience features that aren’t available on other faucets. You can control your faucet from a mobile device using an app, and most come with motion sensors or are Alexa-compatible to let you turn them on and off with just your voice. Some even allow you to change the temperature with a gesture or tap. Some can also dispense hot, cold, and filtered water for extra health benefits.
The best smart faucets come with a range of features, but you should be aware that some of the more advanced ones can be more expensive than traditional faucets. Luckily, they can be worth it in the long run if you consider the energy and water savings they offer.
For the best experience with a smart faucet, you should have a compatible smart speaker in your home. Most work best with Amazon Alexa but you can also find some that work with Google Assistant as well. Keep in mind that most of these require a special connector on the back of your faucet for the smart hub to connect. This connector is easily removed and replaced if you decide to switch to another smart hub.
One of the most important things to look for when selecting a smart faucet is superior customer support. A good company will answer your call quickly and either resolve the issue or get back to you with a solution. You should avoid companies that push you to a third party for assistance or have long wait times on their customer support phone lines.
Backflow Preventers
Backflow is one of the most dangerous plumbing issues that can occur. It can redirect contaminated water into your home and cause diseases and other illnesses in people and pets. The good news is that it’s easy to avoid this threat by having a backflow preventer installed. Backflow prevention services ensure that the only way for water to enter your house is through the main city water supply line. Backflow can happen due to a number of different circumstances, including high demand for water, a broken water line, fire hydrants being opened for use, or even a sudden dip in the pressure of your pipes caused by a water main break.
The most common backflow prevention solution is the air gap, which involves a simple space being created between any device that connects to your home’s plumbing system and the water supply. This ensures that water can’t flow from the container back into the faucet, preventing contamination. This is an inexpensive, simple solution that can be easily implemented by plumbers.
Another option is a check valve. These devices are spring-loaded and forced open with the normal pressure of your plumbing system, but when that pressure drops – like during a backflow emergency – they close to prevent backflow. The last option is the reduced pressure zone (RPZ) backflow preventer, which uses two check valves for redundancy and a chamber in between to monitor pressure. It also has an additional drain to help relieve any excess pressure. These types of backflow preventers are ideal for preventing high-hazard water contaminations and require annual inspections by a licensed technician.
Depending on the hazard level of your backflow issue, the type of backflow preventer that’s required for your property will vary. A low-hazard cross-connection might create a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable but won’t present a health risk, while a high-hazard cross-connection could cause illness or even death if it backflows into the municipal water supply.
Backflow preventers are a crucial part of ensuring that your family has access to clean, healthy water. They can help protect you against disease-causing contaminant backflow and save you the headache of having to deal with clogged drains and water leaks. Contact a licensed plumber for more information about backflow prevention and how it can be used to keep your home safe and sanitary.