With Cypress, Texas under terrible drought conditions, more homeowners are seeking out plumbers that are environmentally conscious, or “green.” A green plumber can give valuable advice that helps the environment, saves water, and saves you money. The use of efficient appliances and fixtures, along with green materials and methods means your plumber is doing what’s best for you, and the Earth.
Go green, save water and money
More and more, builders and service providers are making the choice to become environmentally conscious, or “green.” Many homeowners are making the effort to choose a green plumber; not just to help protect our environment and conserve resources, but to get the added benefit of saving money.
This year, Texas residents have been subjected to the very real problems that come with drought. Water conservation is at the top of homeowners’ lists, and many call in plumbers who use green practices to help them make sure that they get the best usage possible with the least amount of waste.
Many green plumbers will be happy to come to your home and advise you on the many ways you can conserve water and save cash. They can begin with your outdoor plumbing—checking for leaks around spigots, attaching a rain sensor to an irrigation system, or advising on the different effective ways to collect rainwater and runoff. Inside, there are a myriad of little changes you can make that will help your home be more efficient and environmentally friendly. You may be advised to add a low-flow aerator to your faucet or make sure those small drips get taken care of immediately. A slow leak may not seem like much, but a constant drip can mean gallons of wasted water over a month’s time.
A major waste of water can be found in the bathroom. Toilets manufactured as recently as 1992 can use up to 7 gallons of water per flush. Replacing your old model with a new, EPA approved Water Sense® toilet can save up to 5 gallons of water per flush. That means hundreds of gallons a year, and an estimated $90 in savings on your water bill. If you can’t replace your toilet, a simple measure is to place a brick in the tank so less water is used.
The environmental impact of your water heater may not be something you’ve thought about, but consider that studies show if you replace your standard heater with a tankless option, you could save up to 50% of your water heating energy costs. (Not to mention the benefit of hot water on demand whenever you want!) Depending on your need and area, your plumber could also recommend a solar water heating system that can cut your costs even further. Think about how much savings there would be if everyone on your street chose a more environmentally friendly water heating system
EPA estimates show that U.S. water treatment and supply facilities use the same amount of energy yearly as 5 million homes. If just one percent of the homeowners in the U.S. replaced their fixtures and appliances with water-efficient models we could save about 100 million kWh of electricity per year and 3 trillion gallons of water. That’s about 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and more than $18 billion dollars per year.
Making the effort to find a plumber that uses green practices is a sensible idea when it comes to helping the environment, conserving water, and saving money. Even if you are not interested in making drastic changes to your home and lifestyle, a plumber that is well-informed about EPA-approved, efficient products and methods and LEED certification can make a difference in water conservation and help keep more “green” in your bank account.
If you need help finding a Cypress Plumber, please visit our Service Providers page.
