Get Eco-Friendly Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures in Honor of Earth Day

Make the Home More Eco-Friendly This Earth Day 

In the spring, nature shakes off the dormancy of winter and starts to green back up. With trees and grass returning to life in a splash of green, now is the perfect time to think about greening up the home. With Earth Day right around the corner, there has never been a better time to consider upgrades around the home to reduce the carbon footprint, save energy and reduce water usage. 

The plumbing in the home is a great opportunity to introduce some eco-friendly practices. By saving water and reducing energy usage, homeowners can go green, just like all the trees on the block. Here are some of the best recommendations from local experts to help homeowners have a more eco-friendly home. 

Water-Saving Plumbing Fixtures 

saveThe first opportunity for eco-friendliness in plumbing is water conservation. Water takes a huge amount of energy and infrastructure to purify and transport it, so by reducing water usage, homeowners can have a big impact on these systems. The first thing that homeowners should do to save water is to schedule a plumbing inspection to take care of leaks. For a longer-term plan, installing water-saving fixtures is the best idea. 

For an eco-friendly home that sips water instead of guzzles it, try installing plumbing fixtures like: 

  • Water-saving toilets that can reduce water wasted on flushes by around 20%
  • Low-flow showerheads reduce water usage during bathing by another 20%
  • Touchless faucets save water by reducing the likelihood that someone will leave the faucet running

Energy Efficiency Options for Appliances 

washerWhen it comes to making the plumbing in the home more eco-friendly, most people tend to think only about how plumbing fixtures can save water. While water conservation is a main goal in an eco-friendly household, several appliances use water as well as power, making them great opportunities for energy and water savings. 

To maximize savings on water bills while minimizing wasted water and power, look into upgrading to: 

  • Energy-Saving Water Heaters: These devices use far less natural gas or electricity to provide hot water to the family. 
  • Energy-Efficient Washing Machines: New washing machines are high-efficiency, using less power, water, and soap to pollute waterways. 
  • Water-Saving Dishwashers: The most efficient dishwashers use as little as four gallons of water to clean dishes. They are also energy-saving to reduce power usage. 

Can Repiping a Home Help? 

The final opportunity that plumbing presents to homeowners that want to have an eco-friendly home is the plumbing infrastructure itself. Things like pipe material, diameter, and plumbing layouts have important implications for eco-friendliness. 

In older homes, metal piping can leak or seep out water, raising bills and wasting freshwater resources. By upgrading the piping to modern plastics like PEX, homeowners can reduce wastage and the possibility of a burst pipe. When repiping a home, plumbers can also address problems like pipe diameter that can cause restrictions in water flow. This reduces water pressure to the home without a drop in volume supplied to fixtures. 

About Apple Valley Plumbing Company

Apple Valley Plumbing Company is the local expert for water conservation in homes. Their award-winning service and free estimates can help everyone achieve their environmental goals. Call today for a courteous plumbing service in Apple Valley, MN. 

Distribution Links +

How Your Local Plumber Can Help You Conserve More Water This Earth Day

Professional Plumbing Services To Help Reduce Water Waste

In honor of Earth Day, many homeowners are looking for new ways to conserve water and do their part for the environment. Most people already know about the everyday good water habits like taking shorter showers, turning off faucets while brushing teeth or washing dishes, and consolidating their laundry into fewer loads. But many homeowners aren’t aware that their plumbing system itself may be costing them hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water every year.

Things like slow leaks, faulty valves, outdated fixtures, and excessive water pressure can waste several gallons a day for months on end without being noticed. Fortunately, homeowners are not alone. A trusted local plumber can identify hidden sources of water waste and solve the problem, as well as recommend additional eco-friendly solutions and practices. 

Plumbing System Inspections

A thorough plumbing inspection is generally considered a prerequisite when purchasing a home. But after this initial appraisal, most homeowners tend to think they’re in the clear for years. The truth is, a plumbing inspection should be performed every two years in newer homes and once a year in older homes.

With routine inspections, plumbers can catch minor issues before they escalate into large-scale emergencies. Pipe corrosion, dripping faucets, pinhole leaks, worn couplings, and mineral scale buildup can seem relatively harmless but end up causing massive damage or water waste. A pro can also measure the home’s main water supply pressure, which can cause severe damage or needless water loss if it’s too high.

Leak Detection, Repair & Prevention

leak

Minor plumbing leaks are perhaps the most insidious form of water waste to be found in a home. Even a slowly dripping faucet or a tiny trickle from a loose pipe fitting can send hundreds of gallons down the drain every year. It’s even estimated that 10% of homes have undetected or unresolved leaks that waste 90 gallons per day!

Professional leak detection typically involves:

  • Testing the water meter for phantom usage.
  • Pressure-testing the supply system for irregularities.
  • Using special acoustic listening devices.
  • Feeding fiber-optic cables into the walls to pinpoint elusive leaks.

The technician will then repair the leak, usually with a simple slip coupling or by repiping the entire section if it’s likely to spring another leak in the future. 

toilet

Repairing or Replacing Old Toilets

Another primary source of residential water waste is old or malfunctioning toilets. Any toilet that runs frequently is definitely leaking water. Homeowners can usually solve this by replacing the valve seal or “flapper” inside the tank, as it’s likely become worn. But not all toilet leaks are so simple. Older toilets may begin leaking from the base due when the connection to the floor drain becomes loose, the wax sealant ring has deteriorated, or the porcelain itself has cracked.

With most older toilets, repairs are hardly worth the cost, and homeowners would be better off replacing the toilet altogether. It’s a perfect opportunity to upgrade to a water-saving low-flush toilet. Many new toilet models use as little as 1.1 to 1.28 gallons per flush, much less than the standard 1.6. Some very old toilets use as much as 5 gallons, so an eco-friendly upgrade can’t come too soon!

A water-saving toilet can cut down water waste significantly, but it’s not the only fixture designed to do so. After the plumber replaces that old toilet, they can install eco-friendly faucets and showerheads to make the home even greener!

About Apple Valley Plumbing Company

The award-winning Apple Valley Plumbing Company has proudly served the Apple Valley, MN community since 2013. Their professional, courteous technicians are punctual, prepared, and treat every home like their own. They provide free estimates, same-day service, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call now for plumbing services!