An excellent way to cut back on the amount of water used and thereby the amount of money spent for water is to install a low-flow toilet. With this, the toilet would function as a standard unit but use less water. However, when making changes to the home as a way of reducing the amount of energy used and the amount of money being paid to various utility companies, you might also consider installing a low-flow shower head and faucets.
Today, low-flow fixtures have become extremely popular and for good reason – they achieve the intended goal. However, under federal regulations, new shower head flow rates cannot exceed more than 2.5 gallons a minute based on water pressure of 80 pounds per square inch. Then for faucets, the government mandate is that flow cannot be more than 2.5 gallons per minute based on water pressure of 80 pounds per square inch or 2.2 gallons per minute for 60 pounds of pressure per square inch. Now, considering that you could save as much as 60% on water usage for a fixture that costs no more than $20, you can see the value.
When looking specifically at shower heads, as you begin shopping around for something new by choosing one that runs at 2.5 gallons per minute or less would provide you with the maximum water efficiency. You will discover two primary types of low-flow shower heads currently on the market being the laminar flow and aerating type. For the laminar-flow, individual streams of water are produced whereas for the aerating, water and air are mixed so the result is a misty type of spray.
Although you could choose whatever type of low-flow shower head wanted, there are distinct differences between the two. For instance, if you live in a part of the country where high humidity levels are a problem, the laminar flow is recommended since the amount of steam is much less than you would get from the aerating type of shower head. To understand just how beneficial low-flow shower heads are, consider that just eight years ago, the flow rate for shower heads was 5.5 gallons per minute.
With this being more than 50% more water usage than what you would have today. Therefore, if the showerhead was old, you should take this opportunity to change it to one marketed as a low-flow showerhead. That way, showers would use less water while still providing you with a perfect shower. If you have no idea the age of your showerhead, there are a few simple steps to identify.
For this, set a bucket that you have marked with gallon increments beneath the shower head. Turn the water on at the rate you would normally shower and start timing the number of seconds to fill the bucket to one gallon. If the one-gallon mark were reached in 20 seconds or less, it would be time to make the switch to a new low-flow shower head.
Now for low-flow faucets, you could benefit by making this change in the bathroom as well as kitchen. On the tip of the faucet is a screw on tip known as the aerator, which is what determines the maximum flow rate. For new faucets most have special aerators that do not allow water to flow more than 2.2 gallons per minute. Then for faucets in the bathroom, these have water flow restriction of 1.5 to 0.5 gallons per minute.
This simple aerator is sold at local hardware and home improvement stores for less than $10. By purchasing new ones that restrict water flow to 1.0 gallons a minute or even considering buying an aerator that has an automatic shut-off valve so water could be stopped without temperature being affected, you would save a tremendous amount of water over a year’s period. With low-flow shower heads and faucets being so affordable, this change makes an excellent way to conserve water and save money.
