Save loads of money with high-efficiency plumbing
While San Diego residents are proud of their homes, they may not realize all of the ways in which they can improve them – and save money. Plumbing in particular has recently been area of innovation. Recent federal legislation has mandated the use of more efficient household plumbing fixtures, but as many of the laws have yet to go into effect in our city, many people still don’t realize they exist. Ordinarily, this might not be a big deal, except for the fact that homeowners are missing out on big savings!
As national trends tend to favor reducing our water intake, the issue is especially important in drought-stricken California. Check out these recent plumbing innovations that will save H2O and shrink your water bill.
PRV
While certain fixtures help reduce water usage from toilets, sinks and showers, one particular feat of plumbing seeks to cut down on your home’s overall water consumption. PRV, or pressure-reducing valves can be installed on your main water line, and control the amount of water flowing in. Most modern homes can operate with water pressure in the neighborhood of 35psi (pounds per square inch). This volume can serve your sink, toilet and other appliance needs. However, what homeowners don’t realize is that their main allows water to rush at 70psi and above!
To reign in your home’s excessive consumption with a PRV, call the best plumber that San Diego has to offer. Whether you live in El Cajon or the Gaslamp Quarter, Boyd Rogers can assess your current pressure and if desired, install a new PRV on the main.
High-efficiency toilet
Many homeowners don’t realize that there’s a sneaky water-waster right under their nose: the toilet. Understandably, toilets probably aren’t something you think too much about, but the reality is that many models consume way more agua than they actually need. Some older toilets use up to 7 gallons per flush! If this figure doesn’t register right off the bat, consider the modern models that only use 1.3 gallons. Quite a discrepancy, isn’t it? If you install an HET (high efficiency toilet) branded with the government’s water sense label, you can count on saving thousands of gallons per year compared to your current older toilets. If you have an older home, it’s probably time to replace those antiquated models anyway.
Performance showerheads
Water-saving advocates recommend re-using shower runoff to water your lawn and gardens. While this isn’t a bad idea, you may not be quite ready to lug a bucket into the bath every time you want to shower. To achieve a nice middle ground, consider installing a performance showerhead. Designed to provide optimal performance while reducing the amount of water used in a typical shower, these fixtures use about 1.75gpm (gallons per minute). Contrast this figure to that of older heads, which use around 2.5gpm, and you can see why the power models are so popular. With recent steps being taken to upgrade the pressure, you won’t miss those old showerheads.
