Are you thinking about updating your plumbing or do you need water line repair, drain repair, or help dealing with other plumbing uses? Don’t be tempted to try and do this yourself, despite the array of tutorials and other guides on the Internet. It’s best to leave these sorts of things up to a plumber and his or her expertise knowledge and capable hands. You might end up with a much bigger mess on your hands if you try and take matters into your hands. If you update your appliances — like getting a low-flush toilet or fix small problems like fixing leaky faucets, you could wind up saving yourself a bundle in the long run with your bills. It’s amazing how much water we use (and lose) that we don’t even realize. There are ways your plumber can help you conserve water and decrease your water bills at the same time. He or she can also help with other plumbing issues, like your drain not draining or bigger problems like repairing your water line or other damages to your plumbing and pipes.
How Much Water is Going Down the Drain Anyway?
We waste over 9,000 gallons a year while we wait for the hot water to kick on for our shower or other needs. Around 15% of our yearly water heating costs are wasted by heating this 9,000 gallons that we don’t even end up using. Additionally, around 40% of the water usage in a typical home is just from flushing our toilets! Most of us don’t have low-flush toilets and a regular flush toilet can send a significant amount of money swirling down the flusher.
Additionally, just one leaky faucet could fill up an eight-ounce glass in 15 minutes, waste 180 gallons of water per month, and over 2,100 gallons in a year! If it’s dripping twice per minute, you can say goodbye to over a gallon of water that week. Little drips and leaks are actually adding up to quite a bit — get them checked out!
How Can I Help Save Water and Lower My Bills?
Easy answer: get a plumber on the scene! As for a more detailed answer: if your appliances are fairly old and outdated, maybe start thinking about purchasing new and more efficient ones as you get the income. For example, a low-flush toilet could save you as much as 18,000 gallons of water per year. Special shower heads can also help you save water and money, without sacrificing water pressure or anything else!
Thinking about stopping up some leaks around the house can also go a long way towards saving water and reducing your bills. Being mindful about running water is also good — don’t let the water run while you soap up your dishes, try to avoid double rinses during your laundry cycles, and try to minimize how long you run water while waiting for it to get hot.
If I’m Getting My Kitchen or Bathroom Remodeled, What Kind of Piping Should I Use?
Copper piping is one of the most commonly used types of material for plumbing — and one of the oldest. Egyptians used it some 3,000 years ago for their own piping purposes! It won’t pollute your drinking water and has some amazing longevity.
Polypropylene pipe (PP) is the safest for your water (and the greenest option!) Its record is spotless when it comes to durability and safety, since it’s not fused by chemicals. Heat melts the ends of the rigid plastic pipes pipes to bring them together. If for some reason, you’re thinking about trying to attempt your own plumbing, Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC) is the easiest material to work with. However, as mentioned before, it’s best to leave plumbing up to the hands of a professional plumber to avoid errors or bigger accidents.
Hiring a plumber for remodeling projects, fixing plumbing issues that arise, or for installing new appliances is always the best way to go. Things will be taken care of efficiently and quickly and you don’t have to worry about something going awry. Call a plumber today for your plumbing needs!
