Here are a few ways that you can go ‘green’ in plumbing:
-
Use Greywater
Greywater is clean (no fecal contamination) domestic waste water. Greywater can be used for laundry, toilet flushing, and watering non food producing plants.
-
Use a Dishwasher
Researchers at the University of Bonn found that energy efficient dishwashers use 1/6 of the water (and less soap) as handwashing. Just make sure you run your machine when it’s full.
-
Get Low-Flow Showerheads
Replacing your standard showerheads with low-flow equivalents can reduce water consumption up to 2 gallons per minute.
-
Start Collecting Rainwater
Collect and use rainwater with a distribution system (which can be fully integrated into an existing residential plumbing system) to offset home water costs.
-
Get a “On Demand” Hot Water
Tankless water heaters (also called “on demand”) heat water without the use of a storage tank. This means that they don’t require a tank to store hot water, saving energy costs. Bonus: tankless water heaters have double the lifespan of traditional water heaters.
-
Get a Toilet with Dual Flush Technology
Dual-Flush toilets are designed to allow you to select the amount of water per flush. This means you can decrease your toilet’s water usage.
-
Green Layouts
When building new homes, keep efficient plumbing layouts in mind. Run the house with the shortest possible pipes to reduce water consumption.
Comments are closed.