How to Go Green with your Plumbing

PlumbingThe average person uses about 100 gallons of water each day. This includes every time you turn on your sink or shower, flush the toilet, or wash your clothes and dishes, even water the lawn or your houseplants.  Also can’t forget your indirect water usage—that’s the water used to provide electricity to your home and water that helps produce the food you eat.  When you make even one small change to your home’s plumbing to make it more “green,” you can make a difference on the environment (and your bank account)!Tankless Water HeatersTankless water heaters are one of the best things you can use to conserve energy! The average tankless water heater can save you hundreds of dollars per year on your utility bills.  Standard water heaters are full of hot water and it keeps it hot at all times- even when you are not using it.  Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, only heat water when you need it.  Most tankless water heaters are considered 95% efficient, whereas standard water heaters are only 70% efficient.  That means 95 cents out of every dollar spent with your tankless water heater goes toward actually heating the water and only 5% is wasted, unlike the 30% with a tank water heater.  Tankless water heaters take up less space, give you unlimited hot water AND they are more efficient. Win-win-win!Fix Leaks ASAPA leak is often the sign of something bigger, and some types of pipes are more prone to leaks than others?If you think your drippy faucet is not a big deal… think again!  According to the EPA, a dripping faucet that drips once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons in just one year.  That is as much water as almost 200 showers!  When you notice your plumbing system is leaking, even just a little bit, it’s best to have the leak repaired.  You could save a ton of water!If your home uses the city water supply, your water has chlorine in it.  Chlorine helps ensure your family has clean water, but unfortunately, chlorine degrades your faucets, toilets, and other fixtures.  This can cause faucets to drip and toilets to run, which can waste a lot of money.  A lot of our customers opt to install a chlorine removal system to filter out chlorine from your water, protecting your plumbing. Water Usage If you’re trying to save water, it can be hard to figure out where you can cut back.  You still have to shower, flush toilets, water the lawn, and so much more. Thankfully, there’s a solution!  MVP’s Plumbing department is proud to offer low-flush toilets and faucet flow reducers! Low-Flush Toilets Old toilets can use as much as 3-8 gallons of water with each flush. If you think about how many times you and your family use the restroom every day, that can add up to a lot of water wasted!  With current technology, there several options for different “low-flush” toilets.  The ones we offer flush with just 1.28 gallons of water!  During the 90s, the government mandated that all toilets sold from that point on must use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush.  You might think that less water per flush means the toilet may not get the job done, right?  Well, not all toilets are created equal, and we are selective about the products we offer you.  We do not offer toilets we don’t believe in.  Our toilets will flush twice the amount of solids and debris as the old toilets without clogging! Faucet Flow ReducersFaucet flow reducers are a small change you can make to your home’s plumbing that can save a ton of water without you ever noticing!  A faucet flow reducer does exactly what it sounds like—they reduce the flow of water from your faucet!  Most faucets we offer have built-in restrictors that help you save more water than others, it’s just about picking which faucet is best for your family. Energy and Water-Efficient AppliancesDo you know if your appliances are energy efficient?Do you use your dishwasher every day?  What about your clothes washing?  These appliances use a lot of water!  Energy efficient appliances are better for your wallet and the earth!  Most of the electricity created in the US is created from burning coal and natural gases, and this damages our environment. When you install an energy-efficient appliance, you are using less energy, and reducing your impact on the atmosphere.  If you have water saving appliances, less water is pulled from natural sources like rivers and springs.  Everyone should do their part to preserve our environment! Bio-OneConsider the chemicals you pour down your drain to clean them… are they healthy for your pipes? Usually not. Are they healthy for the environment? Probably not. A lot of people pour chemicals down their drains to clean them, but most of these chemicals aren’t environmentally friendly and can potentially damage your pipes.  If your home is on a concrete slab, this kind of repair can get especially expensive.  So… what’s a good alternative? We recommend Bio-One. Bio-One is a natural, environmentally safe alternative. Consisting of bacteria that eats up soap scum, toothpaste, hair, and more, Bio-One is great for clearing your drains and keeping them free of clogs! Going GreenEvery little change you can make to your home’s heating, air conditioning, and plumbing system can make a huge difference.  Any energy or water saved lessens the impact we have on the environment, leaving the world a better place for future generations.  Whether you choose to install low flush toilets, tankless water heater, or energy saving faucets there are tons of options to make your home green!Ask us what improvements we can make to your home!