Sometimes it can be intimidating to think of all the problems with our environment and easy to wonder exactly what you can do to help. After all, the impact that one household can have seems minimal.
However, there is still plenty you can do to help planet Earth and, if we all work on it together, the impact can be monumental. On top of that, there are benefits to being mindful about our environmental impact.
Take, for instance, the impact of using less water. Conserving water has a great impact on our planet as well as reducing your monthly utility bills. It’s a win-win. If you don’t know where to start, here are some easy plumbing system tips to help reduce your water usage and save big.
Don’t Flush Your Money Down The Toilet
Believe it or not, toilet flushes are easily the number one usage of water in the average household. The average person flushes the toilet five times per day.
Depending on the age of the toilet, you can literally use up to 8 gallons for every flush! That adds up very quickly.
Even up until about toilets made in 1992, the average toilet flushed 3.5 gallons every time. Modern toilets can use a fraction of the amount, saving money every day. There are a few good options for low flushing toilet options.
- Ultra Low Flush Toilets: Utilizing just 1.6 gallons per flush, these toilets hit a new benchmark established for efficiency. While this is a massive improvement over previous toilets, there are still bigger improvements.
- High-Efficiency Toilets: Taking conservation up a notch, these toilets use just 1.3 gallons per flush. Literally, over 1,000 models of these highly efficient toilets are on the market today.
- Dual Flush Toilets: Sometimes, it makes sense to work smarter, not harder. These toilets give you a couple of options, half flushes for lighter loads and full flushes for, shall we say bigger jobs. When used properly, these toilets average just 1.1 gallons per flush.
Shower Yourself With Savings
A little bit of attention can go a long way for conserving water. One sneaky source of water usage is the shower faucets. A little drip can add a deluge of costs to your water bill.
Even one leaky faucet head has been estimated to cost $20 per month and that’s only when the faucet averages a hardly noticeable drop every six seconds.
Checking that there are no drips will cut down your water usage and save up to $240 per year!
The Hidden Enemy: Pipe Leaks
Sometimes, something you can’t see can cause the biggest problems. Pipe leaks can vary widely in size and scope but the issue they can cause is massive.
If you think of a pencil tip sized hole in your pipes, this can lose an average of nearly 1,000 gallons of water per day, even at low pressure. These can be particularly tricky because leaks can be hard to notice because they can occur underground or other unseen places.
Check your bill and your usage amount to try to catch these early – if you are unsure, an expert from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing would be happy to assist. Of course, there are plenty of other things you can do to save water, including avoiding overwatering your lawn during the summer months.
Even though these tips may seem small, they can have a big impact on your bill and our planet. If you are concerned about facing any of these problems or have any questions about water conservation, please reach out to one of our experts at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing by calling (507) 645-4037.
