To save money and cut environmental pollution, many homeowners in Shreveport and Bossier City are looking for ways to boost energy efficiency. While most homeowners focus on their appliances and HVAC systems to cut utility costs, people often overlook their plumbing.
To make your plumbing more efficient, make sure your home has the following:
- Low-flow fixtures
- Water recycling systems
- Tankless water heater
Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
Traditional plumbing fixtures often consume more water than necessary, leading to an increase in your monthly bills.
One upgrade you should consider to make your plumbing more efficient is the installation of low-flow fixtures. A low-flow fixture is a toilet, faucet, or shower-head that uses less water per minute than traditional models. Using a higher pressure, these fixtures produce a strong water flow without wasting water.
Replacing your older fixtures with low-flow fixtures is an inexpensive and easy way to make your plumbing more efficient. Not only will low-flow fixtures reduce your water usage, but they will also cut your energy usage.
Water Recycling Systems
Think of all the water you use in your shower, tub, sink, and washing machine. This water goes straight to the sewer once it’s used. Most people don’t know they can reuse this water, commonly called “gray water”, for outside use.
Water recycling systems are another upgrade you should consider to make your plumbing more efficient. These systems let homeowners reuse gray water for things like watering their lawn. A must in our hot Louisiana summers!
Gray water does contain traces of hair, food, and cleaning products. However, it’s important to note it will not contain any traces of water from the toilet. That uses a separate water source.
Tankless Water Heater
Traditional water heaters store water in large tanks that constantly consume energy to keep the water heated. These tanks are using and wasting energy whether you’re using water or not.
A tankless water heater provides a home’s occupants with warm or hot water only when needed. Unlike a typical water heater, an electric element or gas burner heats the cold water as it travels through the pipes. This process ensures energy will only be used to heat water when needed.
Benefits of Energy Efficient Plumbing
Reducing water consumption and waste has many benefits to not only individual households, but our community as a whole. These benefits include:
- Lower monthly energy bills
- Reduces over consumption of water (a finite resource)
- Lessens infrastructure impact
- Reduces carbon footprint
- Less maintenance and costly repairs
- Longer plumbing system lifespan
- Increases the value of your home
Work with Local Experts
Homeowners can make many upgrades to their plumbing to make it more efficient. For more information about plumbing upgrades, don’t hesitate to talk to the experts at the Pioneer Comfort Systems. Give us a call at 318-795-8000.