Conserve Water

Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

We Support Water Conservation Through Environmentally Friendly Plumbing Practices

Water Conservation made EASY!

It’s April and spring has finally arrived. The azaleas are in bloom and your over seeded lawn is beautiful. Your home looks like it is ready for that Southern Living photo shoot. You are congratulating yourself for all your hard work and then you receive the “water bill” from Fulton County. YIKES! Paying the piper is expensive so you begin the quest of figuring out how to conserve water and keep your landscaping alive. You want to be “eco-friendly” and “go green” but your research shows that will be expensive and increase your expenses elsewhere. It is a tough decision but it does not have to be a daunting task. You can go green and save yourself some green at the same time.

Water Conservation makes sense for everyone. The less you and your family consume, the less you pay. The world has plenty of water but “fresh water” is the issue. You have read about the “water wars” over Lake Lanier and reports are telling us we can expect to pay 30 – 40% more for our water in the next few years. That should be enough to make even the Vanderbilt’s pay attention to their water bill.
Your first step should be to have a “water use survey” done of your home. This survey is a summary of your water usage and takes into account the number of family members and their water use habits. Studies show the largest water usage in the home is due to toilets, bathing/showers, laundry and then faucets. To make a substantial reduction in your water bill you will have to look at some of the new plumbing products. With a minimal investment of approximately $1500 your payback time could be as little as 1 year. After that, the savings are yours forever. The water use survey will tell you your usage, water savings, calculate your $$$ savings and give you your payback time.

A pre-1994 3.5 gallon per flush toilet uses 62% more water than a new 1.28 gpf high efficiency toilet. Changing out your toilets could save you as much as $40 per month. Water Conserving Toilets are now in their sixth generation of technology so the “it takes two flushes” problems of the past have been solved. If your home has the first generation, 1.6 gpf toilets that were sold during the 1990’s now would be a great time to replace them and put the hassles behind you.

Bathing/Showering is the next big water user in the home. Your Pre 1994 showerhead could be using as much as 5 gallons per minute. The new EPA “water sense” standard calls for a showerhead flow of 2.0 gallons per minute. Changing those old showerheads could result in a 40 – 50% water savings in your bathing habits. The technology has advanced in showerheads as well. The new models pressurize the water in the head, thus giving you the pressure you desire to rinse out shampoo and wash away the dirt and grime.

Your faucets can be a simple fix. New aeration technology can reduce your water from 2.5 gallons per minute to 1.5 gallons per minute with no noticeable difference to the user. Aerators are only a few dollars and you can save 40% water usage. You do not need a PHD in math to figure that one.

Laundry can be a large consumption item if you have a washer that is over 7 years old. The new front load models can save you 30 – 60% on your water usage and they get your clothes just as clean while using less laundry soap. You can save water with your existing units by using the “extra rinse” cycle only when needed and making sure you only do full loads of laundry.
Water Conservation is one of those things that we should all do, but not have to spend a lot of time thinking or worrying about it. The average person uses 175 – 200 gallons of water per day. While nothing by itself looks like a large $$ saving to you. The sum of all the “little” $$$ savings adds up very quickly and that is where you put money in your pocket. So now, you have money in your pocket AND you have become an “eco-friendly” water consumer. We think you should call your plumber today for your water conservation survey.

 

 

 

Pete’s Plumbing is a family owned and operate plumbing firm. We have more than 40 years experience with electric, gas and tankless water heaters. Our staff is standing by, ready to assist you with identifying the perfect on-demand water heater for your home. For immediate assistance please contact us today at 770-442-3934 or email us at (customerservice@petesplumbing.com) and let our Pete’s Plumbing family take care of your family!

Cities We Service: Atlanta, Alpharetta, Ball Ground, Berkeley Lake, Buford, Canton, Chamblee, Crabapple, Cumming, Dawsonville, Duluth, Dunwoody, East Cobb, Freehome, Marietta, Milton, Mount Bethel, Mountain Park, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Roswell, Sandy Plains, Sandy Springs, Sugar Hill & Woodstock.