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Eco-friendly ideas are on the up-and-up for all households, and eco plumbing falls right in line.
Today, people are striving to be more green. If you think about how many people are using water and electricity, then it is no wonder that the building industry is needing to become more creative when it comes to eco-friendly methods.
The way we implement systems in our homes that carry the weight of our day-to-day movements is where the most significant differences can be made. It’s also surprising how simple some of these changes are. How we install things can be altered, never mind the actual materials that we use in plumbing, to make positive strides in being more eco-conscious.
Outside of water heaters and toilets, we may not consider the range of appliances that influence how eco-friendly our plumbing is.
For example, there are water-softening and filtering devices that will prevent the build-up of minerals like calcium and magnesium, called “scale,” in our plumbing. There are also options available that don’t use electricity or harmful chemicals. Both are very eco-savvy.
Water heaters would be a prime plumbing concern when it comes to appliances and our eco-footprint. Solar power and gas can be used to heat water in a much eco-friendlier way.
Tankless water heaters are fast becoming popular; their energy efficiency makes them well-worth considering. We tend to approach water heating in the same outdated way, but there are several options.
So, when it comes time to replace, economize.
Obviously, washing machines and dishwashers are an integral part of our plumbing, and there are two ways we should look at them in terms of eco-friendly movements.
One is to upgrade to eco-rated appliances when the time comes to upgrade or replace.
The second is to look into grey water tanks. These are energy saving, water saving, and environmentally friendly.
Plumbing fixtures get used every day and impact how convenient our lives feel. We may be reluctant to try new things. We like our water pressure and are probably used to how things work. Odd malfunctions in our fixtures are often dubbed as quirks rather than problems to solve, but if there is ever a reason to change any plumbing fixture, it would be wise to choose eco-friendly options.
Shower heads are developed with water usage in mind, and toilets can also be selected based on their water usage as well. Consider toilets with more powerful flushing systems that have smaller cisterns or lower flows. Some toilets use way more water than they should. The average toilet flush uses over three gallons of water. You aren’t alone if you have any hesitations about low-flow plumbing options, and we have tackled some concerns on the topic.
If the low-flow is not the right option for you, the dual flush toilets have become pretty standard and do their part for the environment.
We mentioned water-wise shower heads, but what about faucets? When they leak, it would horrify most people to see how much water actually goes down the drain for no reason. Faucets, even when not leaking, can be quite a water-waste culprit.
Every single faucet head converted to an efficient flow or pressure option would have a massive impact. This would be a great place to start if you are renovating. Plumbing fixtures such as faucets can change the entire look of a kitchen or bathroom and, along with the other changes, could lead to savings that help fund further renovations.
Faucets are such a great option to look at when trying to make a difference. Budget constraints aside, options range from foot pedal operated to motion sensor faucets.
Every time you hire plumbers to fix an issue or maintain your systems, you can ask them to use materials that better serve the environment.
Insulating hot water pipes make the heating system more efficient. This impacts your energy usage, which impacts your bill and the planet.
This should be something you pick up when looking into building codes that relate to plumbing in your area, but some techniques can streamline how much energy is used to pump water through your home.
This goes for all new installations, but especially pipes because they are hidden and only looked at when there is a problem. If your plumbing is exposed when fixing a problem, change it out to more eco-friendly materials.
We also tend to forget that a lot of our products are flushed out with our water. Many products exist now that are bio-friendly. With all the choices in quality products, it’s much easier to use responsible products in our homes.
Some eco-friendly features are still considered extreme. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the various options and these greener methods will become more regular. If you find yourself wanting to go further than the stuff we’ve mentioned, here is a short list of what people are trying out:
The thing about eco-friendly plumbing is that it involves measures we can all take to make a difference. If you have been wanting to explore more green plumbing methods in your home, give Art Plumbing, AC and Electric a call to discuss the most affordable and immediate changes you can make today!
