Modern Plumbing Innovations are Eco-Friendly and Save Money

Modern Plumbing Innovations are on the horizon.  The modern world is constantly innovating, pushing technology forward and improving life in the process.  The plumbing field is no different.  Plumbing innovations are created frequently that can save you water, energy, and money.  Many eco-friendly plumbing fixtures and features are available that use less water than traditional appliances and save a lot of money over time.  WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  WaterSense is a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping consumers save water.  WaterSense is continually monitoring plumbing innovations for certification and providing information to the public on such plumbing products.

Tankless Water Heaters

Modern Plumbing Innovations like Tankless water heaters are the primary appliance to invest in to reduce your water usage and save big bucks.  Conventional water heaters waste money by allowing water to sit in the tank prior to use and by continuously heating the water in your tank during periods of non-use.  Tankless water heaters use only the water that is necessary and only heat water as it is used.

Water Efficient Toilets

More than 47% of water use in the average American home happens in the bathroom, and nearly 30% is toilet use.  Old fashioned toilets use up to six gallons of water per flush.  Federal plumbing standards now specify that new toilets can only use up to 1.6 gallons per flush, but Modern Plumbing Innovations like high-efficiency toilets can use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush (20% less water than the federal standard) while providing superior performance.

Shower Heads

Showering accounts for nearly 17% of residential indoor water use.  A standard shower head uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute and averages nearly 40 gallons per day.  This amounts to 1.2 trillion gallons of water used annually in the United States, just for showering- that’s enough water to supply New York and New Jersey with water for a year.  Modern Plumbing Innovations like Retrofitting your shower with a water-efficient showerhead can save a considerable amount of water per year and save you a considerable amount of money.  WaterSense approved showerheads use no more than two gallons per minute while providing a satisfactory shower that is equal to or better than conventional shower heads on the market.

Faucets

High-performing, water-efficient faucets and accessories (such as aerators) help reduce water use in your home and save you money on water bills.  Modern Plumbing Innovations like Water-efficient faucets and accessories use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute and reduce your sink’s water flow by 30% or more from the standard flow of 2.2 gallons per minute.

Irrigation Controllers

Residential outdoor water use in the United States accounts for more than nine billion gallons of water each day, primarily for landscape irrigation.  As much as 50% of this water is wasted because inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems lead to overwatering.  Modern Plumbing Innovations such as Irrigation control technologies reduce overwatering by applying water only when plants need it.  These smart watering systems act like thermostats for your sprinkler system.  They tell your sprinkler system when to turn on and off and use local weather and landscape conditions to tailor watering schedules to actual conditions, instead of using a controller with a clock and preset schedule.  The smart watering systems allow watering schedules to better match plants’ water needs and prevent wasted water.

Spray Sprinkler Bodies

Irrigation systems that operate at pressures higher than optimum levels waste a significant amount of water.  Landscape irrigation sprinklers are frequently installed at a higher-pressure level than what is recommended for sprinkler nozzles.  This can lead to excessive flow rates, misting, fogging, and uneven coverage.  New sprinkler body models control water pressure at the inlet to the nozzle, resulting in effective performance, reduced water waste, better coverage, and more uniform distribution of water than non-pressure-controlled models.

Very New Products and Products in Development

Cation exchange water softeners remove the calcium and magnesium ions in hard water and exchange them with sodium or potassium ions.  When the ions are fully exchanged, the water softener undergoes a regeneration process to flush the system of excess ions and recharge it with new sodium ions.  The regeneration process can use 25 gallons of water or more per day- up to 10,000 gallons of water per year.  Improvements in water softening technology have reduced this water consumption and demonstrated a potential for water savings.

Soil moisture-based control technologies operate in a similar fashion to weather-based irrigation control technologies but specifically rely on soil monitoring to tailor irrigation schedules.  Soil moisture sensors can result in water savings of at least 20%, saving millions of gallons of water per year.

Bath and shower diverters divert the flow of water either toward the tub spout or toward the showerhead.  Current diverters leak a small amount of water from the tub spout while engaged and older diverters leak a large amount of water while engaged (some older diverters leak more water than the flow rate of a typical showerhead).  New diverter models in development (not yet available) eliminate leaks altogether.

For more ideas on Modern Plumbing Innovations, call Carter’s My Plumber at 317-859-9999 to speak with one of our knowledgable professionals!