The bathrooms of your home use more water than any other location in the house, even more than your kitchen. Showers and baths require enormous amounts of water on a daily basis, and toilets can account for 33% of your indoor water use every year. If you are searching for methods to conserve water in your home, you should start with the bathroom.
Installing EPA-approved (WaterSense) low-flow fixtures for your bathroom plumbing in Bethesda, MD is a great way to lower your water use—sometimes by drastic amounts. You will not only save money on your water bills, but you’ll help the environment. Reducing water use in the bathroom will also lower your energy bills, as we’ll explain below.
To get started with water conservation in the bathroom, schedule an appointment with our plumbing team at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing. We can help you find the best options for low-flow installations.
The Water Savings With Low-Flow Fixtures
A bathroom toilet can use between 1.6 to 6 gallons per flush, depending on its age. A WaterSense low-flow toilet only uses 1.28 gallons per flush, a 20% savings over even the most efficient standard model, and without any sacrifice in flushing power. With new installation of a low-flow toilet, you can save 20–60% off your water bills a year and reduce your water use by approximately 13,000 gallons.
Low-flow water faucets lower water use by 30% without any noticeable reduction in quality. According to test done by the EPA, the average faucet uses 2.2 gallons per minute, while a low-flow model uses 1.5 gallons per minute. Accounting for all the bathroom faucets in a home, the average-sized family will save 700 gallons of water per year using low-flow faucets, which is the equal to 40 showers. Replacing the showerheads with low-flow models will give you similar benefits.
How can this also save you on your energy bills? With faucets, and even more so with showers, the reduction in the volume of water when hot water is turned on means the home’s water heater will need to work less, so you can expect lower electric/gas bills, as well as a longer life for the water heater.
Low-flow models do cost more than standard ones to install, but when you consider the savings over their lifetimes, they will payback their price tags many times over.
When you join in the fight for water conservation, you will benefit yourself along with the planet. At Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing, we want to assist you with water conservation and savings with new bathroom plumbing installation. Call us today to find out more about low-flow fixtures for your bathroom and other plumbing services in Bethesda, MD that we offer.