Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures Save Water and Energy: This Is How

Saving water and energy is a smart and responsible move for your finances and the environment. Low-flow plumbing fixtures offer an ideal solution to reduce water consumption without compromising performance. Learn about the benefits of water-saving fixtures, how they compare to older models and effective strategies to conserve even more water in your daily routine.

How Much Water Can Low-Flow Fixtures Use?

These more efficient plumbing fixtures began picking up traction in the 1990s. The shift was primarily driven by growing awareness of water conservation needs and our environmental impact. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 mandated maximum flow rates for faucets, showerheads and toilets in the United States, promoting the widespread adoption of a new generation of low-flow plumbing fixtures. This initial legislation helped establish more efficient faucets and showerheads designed for lowering water consumption while maintaining the same level performance.

Think about how much water low-flow fixtures use compared to their conventional counterparts:

• Faucets: The conventional designs of most faucets run at about 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm), whereas low-flow faucets lower to 1.5 gpm or less without weakening the water pressure.
• Showerheads: The old standard for showerheads was 2.5 gpm. Today’s showerheads lower water consumption to 2.0 gpm or lower.
• Toilets: Older toilets may use as many as 7 gallons per flush (gpf). By comparison, the current federal standard maximum is 1.6 gpf, with some dual-flush models using as little as 1.28 gpf.

The Technology Enabling Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures

Low-flow fixtures use a few different ways to retain performance while also cutting back on water. Here’s how they achieve this:

• Aerators: A number of low-flow faucets and showerheads utilize aerators, a component that mixes air with water to retain pressure while still lowering the volume of water used.

• Flow restrictors: Faucets with these devices limit the amount of water that passes through the fixture while preventing a noticeable drop in pressure.

• Dual-flush technology: Some toilets feature two flush options—one for liquid waste using less water, and one that’s larger for solid waste. This optimizes water use based on necessity.

4 Benefits of Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures

Switching to low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets provides benefits in a number of ways:

1. Decreased water waste: The EPA’s Water Sense program estimates that you can save 700 gallons of water per year by replacing the traditional faucets in your home with new, low-flow versions.
2. Cuts to monthly water bills: Low-flow fixtures help decrease your monthly utility bills by using less water. Indeed, a WaterSense-labeled showerhead can save 4 gallons of water every time you shower, which can really add up in the long run.
3. Also helps with water heating costs: Using less water to shower, cook and clean also means you use less hot water, which means another boost to your savings by lowering water heating costs.
4. Helping ensure a long plumbing system life span: Cuts to the water flow means there’s a much smaller load on your plumbing system, hopefully extending its life and decreasing the need for repairs.

Tips on How You Can Save Even More Water

While these water-saving fixtures make a big difference on their own, you can go further to conserve water whenever you use the plumbing. Here are a handful of of the most common:

• Take shorter showers: Even with low-flow showerheads, you can still waste water if you take too long. Speeding up your shower time by a minute or two preserves water and limits energy use.
• Shut off the water whenever you brush your teeth: Try and only leave the tap running if you’re actively using it. If you leave the bathroom or spend a couple of minutes to actually brush your teeth, shut off the faucet so you don’t waste water.
• Use dual-flush toilets properly: The dual-flush capability only helps you if everyone in your household knows how to use it. Press the half-flush button for liquid waste and only use the full flush for solid waste. Certain handle-flush toilets also have dual-flush functionality. A partial flush uses less water, while holding down the handle releases the standard amount of water to remove solid waste more effectively.
• Don’t allow anyone to flush trash: Toilets are exclusively designed to remove toilet paper and human waste. Flushing anything else always wastes water and increases the risk of a clog forming. Do your water bills a favor by always tossing facial tissues, paper towels, cotton balls and similar products in the trash.
• Try and resolve leaks right away: Even low-flow fixtures could eventually leak, wasting more water and lowering efficiency. Spend a few minutes every now and then checking for leaks and repair any you find to maintain your water conservation efforts.

Request a Free Quote for Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures Today

Interested in an easy way to reduce your water usage and save money? Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is here to help! We install efficient low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets to support water and energy conservation. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can depend on us to follow through on the promise of superior products and services you deserve. If you’re ready to ask about a free quote for installing low-flow plumbing fixtures or just need a few more water conservation tips, please contact us today.