More and more Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about leaving a carbon footprint behind, prompting them to switch to environmentally safer products, both inside and outside of the home.
Going “green” is easier than you think, and it can actually save you money in the long run. When it comes to being environmentally conscious, homeowners generally think about energy-efficient lighting, adding green building materials, or recycling trash. While all of these things are important, don’t forget about your plumbing, too.
It may not be at the top of your list, but minimizing leaky pipes, running toilets and dripping faucets or showerheads can really make an impression on your carbon footprint.
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There are a few things you can do to become more “green,” when it comes to your pipes and plumbing system, and most involve ways to conserve the use of your utilities, such as water and natural gas or propane.
Common plumbing updates to be more environmentally friendly include:
- Replacing old pipes with more durable ones
- Purchasing a more efficient water pump or water heater
- Replacing older appliances
- Installing new faucets and low-flow showerheads
- Replacing old toilets
- Taking shorter showers and choosing a shower over a bath
- Hand washing and drying dishes
- Installing automatic shutoff nozzles to help your family conserve water
- Using watering gauges, shutoff devices or timers on outdoor faucets outside the home to conserve water
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Water conservation is easy to do, and there are many different ways to do it. Installing water-saving technologies into your home is the place to start. There are all kinds of new showerheads, taps, flush reducers, aerators, and water flow valves out on the market to help reduce water usage.
For natural gas or propane use, a tankless water heater is about 30 percent more efficient than a normal tank-style water heater, and it doesn’t use gas to continually keep a tank of water heated all the time.
In some cases, going completely “green” can add up cost-wise, but you don’t have to change everything overnight. Make gradual improvements and lifestyle changes to impact the longevity of your home while saving the environment.