You pay for every drop of water used in your Frederick County home, so you may as well do all you can to reduce that amount. We’ve suggested turning off the faucet as you brush your teeth and limiting sprinkler usage in the yard, but there are even things you can do beyond those traditional ways to save water.
Look for products with the WaterSense label, backed by the Environmental Protection Agency, that are certified to use at least 20% less water to improve the efficiency of your plumbing system.
Showers
It’s always best to take a shorter showers, so you’ll notice a savings if you limit everyone in your home to 10 minutes (you could even set a timer). Beyond that, low-flow shower heads can lower utility bills by reducing both water flow and water heater usage. Try an aerating shower head which mixes air into the stream of water for even pressure, or a non-aerating unit which pulses with rapid pressure variations for a great massage.
Toilets
If you have an older toilet, it could be using 6 gallons of water per flush. Considering that the current federal standard toilet uses 1.6 gallons and some even use 1.28, you’re wasting a lot of water. A new toilet could save you a lot — and imagine the savings if you have more than one bathroom!
Not ready to purchase a new toilet? Consider a new flapper. An old, leaky flapper may be wasting water, so a new adjustable flapper can save a significant amount of water every flush.
A toilet tank bank is another low-cost way to reduce water consumption. It’s inexpensive and simply clips onto the side of the tank, and takes up space in the tank not as much water is required to raise the float.
Faucets and Aerators
Want a faucet that uses 30% less water than the standard one you have? Look into a WaterSense faucet. You can also retrofit your older faucet with a more efficient low-flow aerator. By replacing your 2.2 gallon per minute aerator with a newer one, you can save more than 18,000 gallons of water per year.
Putman Plumbing is Happy to Talk to You About Ways to Save Water
We know all about the newest products that lower water consumption, so talk to our plumbing experts about ordering and installing your new toilet or faucet. We can also detect leaks that may be causing your water bills to stay high, so be sure to give us a call if you’re interested in lowering your water bill.
