When shopping for new appliances, budget-savvy homeowners in Port St. Lucie, FL target options with the distinctive ENERGY STAR label. A joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ENERGY STAR tests and labels appliances that meet its high efficiency standards. What you might not know is that you can use a similar resource when purchasing plumbing fixtures. WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program with the EPA that labels toilets, faucets, and other plumbing fixtures for water efficiency. According to WaterSense, choosing low-flow fixtures for your home could lead to significant savings. Read on to find out how.
Standard Plumbing Fixtures and Water Waste
Each time you turn your faucets on or flush your commodes, a fair amount of freshwater rushes down your drains unused. Although you can minimize these losses by moderating your home’s water pressure, some appliances simply require more water than others.
When installed, low-flow fixtures naturally reduce water pressure. They use gravity and pressure-assisting technology to empty or fill drains and bowls with less water overall. For instance, while standard faucets typically have flow rates of about 2.2 gallons per minute, WaterSense-labeled low-flow faucets have flow rates of just 1.5 gallons per minute or less.
Low-Flow Toilets Can Help You Save Even More
Low-flow toilets produce impressive water savings, too. Standard toilets manufactured before 1992 use between 3 and 7 gallons of water in a single flush. If your commodes are ready for replacement, you can find low-flow toilets with the WaterSense label that use only 1.5 gallons a flush. There are even low-flow toilets that use just 1.2 gallons. If you have multiple bathrooms and lots of people using your sinks and flushing your commodes, installing low-flow fixtures will have an immediate and marked impact on your monthly water bill.
Exploring the Financial Benefits of Low-Flow Fixtures
The EPA estimates that installing low-flow fixtures could help the average household save about 700 gallons of water each year if homeowners target options that reduce water use by at least 20%. The EPA also asserts that some households could see decreases in their annual water costs of up to 60%. Factors like household sizes, number of fixtures present, and average daily water use all have an impact on how much consumers might save.
The Top Options in Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
Among some of the most popular low-flow plumbing fixtures and water-saving plumbing upgrades are:
- Performance showerheads
- High-efficiency toilets
- Hot water circulation kits
- Single-fixture pressure-reducing valves
The easiest low-flow fixtures for most consumers to transition to are water-saving faucets. While you might wait a bit longer to draw your bath or fill your dishpan, this is an efficiency upgrade that doesn’t require much compromise on comfort or convenience.
Are There Drawbacks to Using Low-Flow Fixtures?
In an ideal world, all low-flow fixtures would offer the same level of performance and reliability that standard plumbing fixtures do. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Not all low-flow fixtures are suitable for all people and environments. For instance, if you have lots of kids in your home or already deal with regular toilet clogs, you might actually use less water by keeping your standard commodes installed. Even though low-flow toilets use a lot less water when flushing, they could use far more if residents have to flush them more than once.
Some low-flow showerheads use less water than standard options but have minimal warm-up and rinse efficiency. When standing under these fixtures, people often have to rinse their hands, hair, dishes, toothbrushes, or bodies for longer periods or multiple times. If you like letting your shower run until the water is steaming hot, you’ll waste more with a low-flow showerhead than you would a standard one. Opting for performance showerheads rather than basic low-flow designs often allows for better warm-up and rinse efficiency.
How to Know Which Low-Flow Fixtures Are Right for Your Home
If you’re interested in cutting your water use and lowering your monthly water bill, you don’t have to replace all of your plumbing fixtures at once. Try installing low-flow faucets at your bathroom and kitchen sinks first. Then, fit one or more of your showers with high-performance showerheads. If you like the performance of these products and the related water savings, you can try replacing a single, standard toilet in a low-use bathroom. Easing into this transition by updating your plumbing fixtures one by one will help you arrive at the combination that works best for you.
With expert service and top-quality products, we help residents of Port St. Lucie, FL limit their spending and enhance their homes. We offer top-notch plumbing installation, maintenance, and repair services. We also provide hydro-jetting, water heaters, sewer line repairs, and emergency plumbing services. To find out more about using low-flow fixtures or schedule an appointment, contact Legacy Plumbing Experts now.
