4 WATER-CONSERVING UPGRADES FOR YOUR BATHROOM

Whether you're trying to improve the water conservation in your home or trying to upgrade rental units with some desirable additions, there are easy ways to reduce water usage. In this article, we'll outline a few water-conserving upgrades for your bathroom.

Low-flow showerheads are designed to give you the same water pressure with less water, either by mixing the water with air or by reducing the amount of water lost by steam. Either way, the end result is that you lose less water for every minute you're in the shower.

Installing a low-flow showerhead can save you 25 percent or more of the water that you generally use during a shower, which can be quite a lot. The average flow rate is 2.1 gallons per minute. In terms of water use in your home, showerheads are the third largest water use. Cutting into this can be an important step toward better water conservation.

Water-conserving toilets operate in two ways. They can either use less water overall or they can give you an option between using the regular amount of water and using less. Either way, it's an important upgrade. Toilets contribute the most out of all household appliances in terms of water use — beating out dishwashers and washing machines.

A water-conserving toilet will often be labeled as a High-Efficiency Toilet (HET). There are also Ultra Low Flush toilets, which use 1.6 gallons per flush — the federally mandated minimum.

Low-pressure faucets are designed like showerheads to provide water pressure using less water. Most low-pressure faucets will use aeration, combining the water with air to provide a steady stream without having to waste water. As faucets aren't always used with hot water, they won't use steam reduction technology the way a showerhead might.

Low-pressure faucets have an advantage in that they're affordable and easy to install. You can install low-pressure faucets throughout the bathrooms in your home and reduce your water usage substantially.

Even if you aren't installing low-pressure faucets, it can still be worth it to check each of your faucets for a leak. Over time, a small leak can add up, and leaks tend to get worse over time if they aren't addressed.

A tankless water heater can save you water by ensuring that your water is always hot when you need it to be. Tankless water heaters don't heat up a tank of water for your home. Instead, they heat water on demand. Rather than running cold water for a length of time, you can get hot water right away. Tankless water heaters can even be installed in multiple locations in the same home to ensure that you get hot water on demand — no matter where you’re running water.

Many people find themselves running the water at the sink waiting for it to get warm. The farther away the bathroom is from the water heater, the more water can be lost down the drain. Not only is this not water efficient, but it's also not energy efficient.

Water-conserving upgrades can increase the value of your residence or make a rental unit more desirable to prospective renters. It's often a win-win situation because it will often pay for itself. For more information about the right plumbing upgrades for your property, contact the experts at Art Douglas Plumbing Inc. We’re happy to help you limit your water usage in your home.