What makes a home green extends beyond just its carbon footprint. Water conservation is an important factor as well. Consider that the average U.S. household uses over 100,000 gallons annually. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that over 10% of that usage is wasted water. That means families can make a significant difference just by curbing wasteful usage.
Let's explore ways you can lower water and energy use in your home, helping preserve the environment while you save money in the process.
WaterSense Products
The EPA has developed the WaterSense program to make plumbing purchase decisions easier for consumers. It's a voluntary program that allows manufacturers to have their products tested by independent labs. If those products meet EPA standards, they get the WaterSense label. You'll often see it on the packaging and the product itself.
The EPA has different standards for flow rates depending on the product, such as toilets and showerheads. Those standards are typically much higher than federal standards. The EPA also sets usability standards so that a product won’t earn the rating if it compromises on functionality. A showerhead that uses little water but delivers lower water pressure, for instance, wouldn't meet the standards for certification.
Faucet Upgrades
The modern kitchen and bathroom faucet can use as much as 2.2 gallons per minute (GPM). Low-flow faucets typically use around 1.5 GPM, which is a significant difference. This is possible through integrated faucet aerators and flow restrictors.
You can also add aerators to your existing faucets. They mix air into the water to provide a more robust and powerful stream without actually increasing water use. Even low-flow faucets can waste a lot of water if you leave them running. To prevent this, touchless faucets that turn off automatically after a time are available. You can even monitor and control some smart faucets from your phone.
Toilet Upgrades
Toilets are the main source of water consumption in most households and account for nearly 30% of all indoor water consumption. Some homes still have older toilets that can waste between 5 and 7 gallons every flush. As of January 1, 1994, federal regulation limits toilets to 1.6 gallons per flush, which is still quite high. High-efficiency toilets are a notable upgrade, as they use 1.28 gallons a flush or less. That can save the average household approximately $2,000 over the life of the toilet.
Experts also recommend considering dual flush models, which many manufacturers add as a feature to their low-flow toilet options. These toilets have two handles or buttons. One activates the full flushing power, while the other uses even less water when you don't need it. Homeowners can also opt for integrated bidets. Some consumers may have concerns that they're wasteful, but that’s only if you don’t take into account toilet paper usage. While bidets do use extra water, it's much less compared to the environmental impact of toilet paper.
Showerhead Upgrades
Showering is another primary way American households use water and accounts for nearly 17% of all indoor water usage in the U.S. Federal regulation allows shower fixtures and heads to use as much as 2.5 GPM. The typical showerhead uses about 2.2 GPM, and low-flow showerheads use no more than 1.5 GPM. Many consumers worry that low flow equals low water pressure, but this usually isn't the case. Showerhead aerators, for instance, compensate for the lower volume, and WaterSense assesses products on that quality as well.
High-Efficiency Water Heater
While water heaters don't generally waste water, they do use considerable energy. In fact, the Department of Energy (DOE) estimates it can be as much as 18% of total consumption for the average household. Many options are available to lower the environmental impact of your water heater. Condensing water heaters, for instance, use 10-20% less fuel than their standard fuel-burning counterparts. Both electric and fuel-burning tankless water heaters are inherently more efficient because they don't heat stored water. Heat pump water heaters are the most efficient of all, because they transfer heat energy rather than generate it.
Homeowners should also ensure their water heaters have proper insulation. All water heaters need insulation on the hot water pipe that runs from the water heater to the plumbing system. Electric tank water heaters may benefit from tank jackets and insulated bases.
Water Softening
Water hardness can lead to a wide range of problems for homeowners. That includes increased energy consumption by water heaters, boilers, and other appliances. We have moderately hard to hard water here in Lafayette, defined by the parts per million (PPM) concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Appliance-specific anti-scale devices can help. These are often salt-free solutions, otherwise known as template-assisted crystallization (TAC) devices. If you’re one of the Lafayette households with hard or very hard water, consider a whole-house salt-based water softener instead. You may also want to consider using potassium chloride rather than sodium chloride. It costs more, but has no negative impact on the environment. Sodium chloride-based water softeners can cause ecological trouble as the discarded salts enter waterways and harm aquatic life.
Leak Detectors
An undetected leak in a home can lead to many thousands of wasted gallons of water. You may not even notice until you see the water bill at the end of the month. A leak detection system can identify leaks as soon as they occur. Some of the most advanced systems can automatically adjust the shutoff valve to avoid waste and water damage.
Water Purification
Bottled water costs the average U.S. household about $1,500 a year. If you eliminated that expense, you'd pay for all or most of a whole-home water purifier in just one year. You'd also significantly lessen your impact on landfills and the recycling system. Point-of-use water purifiers provide clean water for drinking and cooking from a single tap. You can also opt for a point-of-entry system that provides filtered water from every tap in your home.
Water Treatment and Water Waste
All forms of home water treatment waste water to some degree. The impact of traditional water filters is relatively light, but it's still a good idea to look for the WaterSense label. Salt-based water softeners use water to recharge the beads. Demand-initiated regeneration (DRI) systems use less water and energy by only regenerating as needed. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are perhaps the worst offenders in this regard. WaterSense RO systems use 2.3 gallons or less per 1 gallon provided. Some models reuse their reject streams to conserve water, which is the most environmentally friendly type of RO system.
ENERGY STAR Water-Using Appliances
When choosing water-using appliances for the home, WaterSense isn't the only label you should look for. Check for the ENERGY STAR label as well. ENERGY STAR is also an EPA program. The EPA sets standards for energy use and certifies products through independent lab testing.
The label can be a big deal when choosing a water heater or boiler. It's also often the main criterion for claiming rebates, tax credits, and other energy incentives. Certification is also an important consideration when choosing washing machines and dishwashers. ENERGY STAR washing machines use 20-45% less energy and 30-50% less water than standard models. ENERGY STAR dishwashers, on the other hand, use about 12% less energy and 30% less water than standard models.
Eco-Friendly Plumbing Installations in Lafayette
At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing®, we provide residential plumbing services to help you save money, water, time, and hassle in Lafayette, LA. You can schedule us for an inspection and on-site consultation to explore all your eco-friendly options. Our licensed plumbers install energy and water-saving kitchen and bathroom fixtures, water heaters, water treatment systems, and more. Call today or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
