Make Your Plumbing More Efficient and Save Water

Make Your Plumbing More Efficient and Save Water
Old, Outdated Plumbing Might Be Costing You Money!

Your home’s plumbing is one of its most important systems. But when it is not properly maintained and cared for, your plumbing system can get backed up, leaky, and inefficient. Small issues can quickly become major issues, resulting in costly repairs and renovations. Thankfully, there are a number of easy ways to make your plumbing more efficient, and to save water as well!

Appliance Replacement

Old appliances are serious offenders for wasting water and causing damage to plumbing systems. An old washing machine, for example, uses significantly more water than a new, energy-efficient model. When you’re washing a number of laundry loads per week… the savings can be significant! In the kitchen, dishwashers are also greedy for water, and the poor draining methods of older models can cause food and scum to build up in your plumbing system. Often these build-ups will occur further down the pipeline, which can make them challenging to find and repair without the help of a professional plumber.

Admittedly, there is an initial cost to replacing worn-out appliances, however the new machines will help for themselves with water and electricity bill savings and efficient plumbing system usage.

Toilets

Did you know that the efficiency of an older toilet is half that of a new one? Aging toilets can constantly run and gurgle, and they are more prone to clogs and overflowing. These all put wear and tear on your home’s plumbing, plus there is the added expense of repairing flooring, ceilings, and other parts of the home that can be damaged by an overflowing toilet. Old toilets often require constant plunging and care, and they never seem to work just right.

When you are ready to replace your home’s toilet, we recommend modern low-flow or dual-flush models. Low-flow toilets use a smaller amount of water per flush, which eliminates the need for the toilet to run constantly to fill its reservoir tank. Dual-flush toilets give the option of half- or full-power flushes, depending on what is required. Both low-flow and dual-flush toilets offer better water efficiency than an old, run down toilet, and they will save you frustration too!

Faucets and Shower heads

A dripping kitchen or bathroom faucet is a bothersome and obvious sign that something is wrong with your sink’s hardware. As faucets age, so do their seals, water connections and washers. Constant dripping is not just annoying, it’s money leaking down the drain! You may need to replace the entire faucet, or at least the washers, to put an end to this common plumbing complaint.

Similarly, bathroom shower heads lose efficiency with age and use. Soap scum, lime and rust can build up, preventing you from getting good water pressure and wasting more water than necessary. Although soap scum can be easily cleaned with specialty cleaners, lime and rust may pose more of a problem. If you cannot repair the issue, new shower heads are relatively inexpensive and you will notice immediate improvements in water pressure and water bill savings.

Make Sure There are No Water Line Leaks

Some plumbing leaks are quite obvious and easy to spot if they are above ground and make a wet mess inside your home.  However there are other much more damaging plumbing leaks of the invisible type that you might not even know you have.  Underground plumbing and water line leaks usually occur by cracked or corroded copper or iron piping within the concrete slab of a home or building.

These leaks are extremely hard to locate (or even know you have) without special equipment and for that reason often go unnoticed for many months, sometimes years until there is a much bigger problem.  Slab leaks can vary in size from tiny pinhole size leaks leaching a few gallons to monstrous sized cracks that can literally destroy the foundation of your home with the volume of water they leak.  If you have noticed any strange increases in your water bill that don’t seem to be getting better with any other water saving techniques then you might want to consider a video camera inspection just to be sure.

Regular Maintenance

Regular maintenance of your home’s plumbing system is the most important thing you can do to keep water running smoothly and efficiently through your house. You will need to routinely check that the drains throughout your home are working as they should. Shower and bathtub drains are especially susceptible to soap scum and clogs of hair. By frequently removing these clogs, you can get them while they are still small and before they cause major damage to your plumbing. Drain snakes or liquid drain cleaners can work well for this task, but it’s best to verify that they are appropriate for your type of pipe.

Just as we take our car to the mechanic for a tune up, having a professional plumber inspect and maintain your plumbing will save you time and money in the long run. The maintenance required depends upon the type of plumbing in your home and how you use it, and a consult with a professional will give you a good idea of where to start and what to look for.

With a little care and attention, your home’s plumbing system can continue to run effectively. A few dollars spent on maintenance and updating appliances today will save the heartache of expensive water damage and plumbing repairs later on. Your home will thank you!

Do You Need To Upgrade or Improve Your Plumbing System?

The Plumbers Connection is a full service plumbing company based out of Claremont, CA and serving the surrounding area.  We specialize in water saving plumbing upgrades, leak detections, plumbing repairs, new plumbing systems and more.  Give us a call or email us through the contact form and we’ll get right back to you.