Modern Plumbing Upgrades for Improved Performance and Appearance
The Wilmington area may not lack rainfall, but our clean water is still a resource worth conserving. Some simple plumbing upgrades can help you save water while improving the look of your home.
In the Bathroom
Tired of your boring white toilet? Upgrade to a low-flow toilet in a color that better suits your bathroom. Toilets that have earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense label use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush. To earn it, a fixture must perform as well as standard models, so you won’t have to worry about frequent clogs. For even more savings, choose a dual-flush toilet.
Your old leaky shower head is wasting water and detracting from the look of your bathroom. Old shower heads use as much as 5.5 gallons of water per minute (GPM). Modern WaterSense-labeled shower heads use just 2.0 GPM with no loss of performance. You can find low-flow shower heads with multiple spray heads and even low-flow rain shower heads.
In the Kitchen
Plumbing upgrades in your kitchen can make meal preparation and cleanup easier, while also giving you a more attractive place to enjoy meals. WaterSense faucets use as much as 30 percent less water than standard models. Choose a faucet finish that complements your sink finish, such as a stainless steel or copper faucet for a copper sink.
If you’re not ready to replace the entire faucet, install a high-performance, water-saving aerator on your existing kitchen faucet. An aerator prevents the faucet’s water stream from splashing, making it easier to use. It also reduces the flow rate in a way that doesn’t interfere with your water pressure. Aerators are available to reduce the faucet flow rate below 1 GPM. That’s 45 percent less than the standard flow rate of 2.2 GPM.
At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues — especially HVAC and plumbing issues — so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
