We can all do our part to help the environment by cutting down on the amount of water we use in our homes. There are some simple ways to reduce your household water usage, such as taking shorter showers, only running the dishwasher on a full load, turning off the sink faucet when you’re brushing your teeth, etc. A professional plumber can also help you achieve marvels when it comes to saving water: whenever you have a leak of any type in your home, or notice a higher water bill than usual, call a licensed plumber to locate the leaks and seal them up. A single leaky pipe can waste thousands of gallons per year.

But today we want to focus on a few big, long-term water saving solutions: the professional installation of special water-smart appliances for your home.

The Options for Water-Saving Appliances

If you live in an older home (built pre-1970) that has most of its original fixtures—such as kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, and toilets—you’re using more water than you should on a daily basis. Even the most basic upgrades to new fixtures will help. But any home can benefit from new fixtures designed specifically to cut down on water use. Here are a few to consider.

• Low-flow faucets: The standard flow of a faucet is 2.2 gallons per minute. Low flow faucets can reduce this to 1.5, a 30% savings. If you’re already keeping the faucet off while brushing your teeth (which can save as much as 3,000 gallons a year!) you’ll take another huge chunk out of your water bill with these low-flow faucets around the house.
• Low-flow toilets: The toilet in a bathroom accounts for the largest amount of indoor water use—approximately 40%! Older toilets could use up to 5 to 6 gallons per flush, with newer ones going down to 3 gallons. With a low-flow toilet, the number drops to around 1.5 gallons. Think of how much you’ll save compared to the older models. Low-flow toilets don’t sacrifice performance either.
• Dishwashers and washing machines: Here’s an area where you’ll appreciate our services. We are not only full-service plumbers, we also handle major appliance installation and service. This includes new dishwashers and washing machines. The newest models of both use less water than before, so if you’re still using an old dishwasher or laundry room washing machine, we recommend going for an upgrade. There are special low-water use machines available that can significantly cut down on your water consumption—so if you’re going for new appliances, go for these.

When in the market for any new appliance that uses water, look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense is a U.S. EPA program aimed at certifying products that lower water consumption.

Anytime you need great plumbing in Chapel Hill, NC or the surrounding areas, you can trust to us. We handle all home service needs, including appliance services. Tell us you’re looking for water-saving installations, and we’ll know just what to do.

Bud Matthews Services is here in the Durham Area for all your home service needs.