April 24

Reducing Your Water Use

Making Your Plumbing More Efficient

Making Plumbing More EfficientThe EPA has reported that the typical American family of four uses 400 gallons of water a day, which equals 146,000 gallons per year. If that same family lived in a home with modern plumbing equipment and practiced water conservation, they could cut that consumption rate by about 30,000 gallons per year.

Doing so would also affect their energy bill, since hot water makes up about 15 percent of energy usage. So here are some ways to make your plumbing more efficient:

1) Take care of clogs

Checking for and removing clogs will ease flow and prevent backups. There are commercial liquid pipe cleaners that can break down clogs composed of hair and soap scum.

Drain snakes can also be used, and many have the advantage of being fairly inexpensive. Both work well with sinks and bathtubs.

2) Maintain or replace faucets and showerheads

The washers, seals and water connections will wear out as these items age. When that happens, the result is a leak. That can both raise the water bill and cause damage.

Old faucets and showerheads also accumulate soap scum, rust and lime deposits inside them. These deposits will eventually cut the flow of the water. While the soap scum can be cleaned out with relative ease, lime and rust are far more stubborn. If your showerhead or faucet has a lot of rust or lime in it, it’s time to get a new one.

3) Replace old appliancesLa Grange Water Conservation

Dishwashers and washing machines get less efficient as they age. They use more water than needed and don’t drain well.

Old dishwashers, as in over six or seven years old, also tend to accumulate bits of food in the drainage system. When it’s time to replace these appliance, get a dishwasher with a built-in disposal and a WaterSense washer.

WaterSense is a government program developed by the EPA that helps consumers. Just as EnergyStar identifies energy-efficient products, WaterSense identifies products that use water efficiently.

To qualify as a WaterSense product, the appliance must use at least 20 percent less water than a conventional product without sacrificing performance. In other words, those 90s low-flush toilets that took two flushes to do the job would not have made the grade.

Interested in going green? Call Allan E. Power Plumbing at [phone] to make your La Grange home more energy efficient.


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