There are several benefits of having an energy-efficient home; for the environment and your health and safety, but for your wallet, too. When it comes to energy efficient fixtures, most people don’t think about their plumbing. But old and outdated plumbing fixtures don’t only waste water and energy, they can end up costing you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over time.

The Pains of a Low-efficiency Plumbing System

The pains of a low-efficiency plumbing system can be many. And while they may all seem small, together they can create a giant headache for homeowners.

Higher utility bills, a larger carbon footprint, and health and safety risks are some of the main issues associated with low-efficient plumbing systems. Older appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, are not only less efficient but are made from outdated technology that can put your and your family’s health at risk.

Older toilets use much more water than newer models to do the same job and this not only wastes water, it can increase your water bill by hundreds of dollars over the life of the toilet. Likewise, new shower heads not only offer more pressure than older models, they use much less water.

Here are eight energy efficient plumbing features that will not only save you money, but reduce your carbon footprint and offer added health and safety benefits:

1. Fix and upgrade leaky pipes and fixtures: A leaky faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day. That’s thousands of gallons and possibly hundreds of dollars literally down the drain every year. Leaky pipes and faucets are also a breeding ground for mold spores, which can have serious health implications. Plus, the water damage caused by leaky fixtures can end up costing tens of thousands of dollars to fix when left untreated.
2. Low-flow shower heads: Low-flow shower heads have come a long way since they were first introduced more than two decades ago. Twenty years of technological advancements mean more pressure and less water. The shower heads of yesteryear used five to eight gallons of water per minute (gpm). Current standards for today’s units are 2.5 gallons per minute and low-flow shower heads use as little as 2 gallons per minute.
3. Insulate pipes: When carrying hot water to plumbing fixtures, heat can get lost along the way. Pipe insulation helps to lower the heat loss. By doing so, you can reduce your water heater temperature to 120-degrees or lower. While paying someone to insulate the pipes in your home may not make economic sense, it’s a great option to consider during new construction or a major remodel.
4. Low-flow faucets: Replacing your current sink faucets with low-flow faucets can save water without reducing water pressure. In fact, these new fixtures can drop water usage from 2.5 gallons per minute to 1.5 gallons per minute, saving up to 13,000 gallons of water a year for a typical household. This translates to hundreds of dollars a year in savings. Some kitchen faucets also offer built-in filtered water features that can help you cut down on your bottled water consumption.
5. High-efficiency toilets (HET): More than 40% of U.S. households use older toilets that use more than 3.5 gallons per flush. Newer toilets use as little as one gallon per flush and even offer dual flushing capabilities, one of the most energy efficient options for homeowners. Look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s “water sense” label, which shows that the toilet has been tested for maximum flushing power all while saving thousands of gallons of water a tear.
6. Tankless water heaters: Tankless water heaters, also called on-demand water heaters, only heat water when needed. While these units can be expensive, their energy-saving capabilities outweigh the upfront cost. A typical water heater keeps 40 to 50 gallons of water hot at all times. As you can imagine, this is incredibly wasteful and inefficient.
7. Update washer and dryer: Older washing machines have a top-loading feature in which water fills up from the bottom. Newer, front-loading machines use up to 50 percent less water. Modern dryers have more efficient heating units that can dry clothes faster, saving energy. It is also important to note that only washing full loads of laundry can save a lot of money.
8. Regular maintenance: If you’re concerned about wasting money or energy, proper maintenance on your plumbing fixtures is important. Regular maintenance and plumbing check-ups can help you detect any small problems before they become major, and can help save money down the road.

A well-functioning plumbing system is something most homeowners take for granted. Unfortunately, since you don’t truly realize the value until something goes wrong, it can be hard to prioritize fixes. If saving money is top of your list, focus first on the smaller, less expensive fixes that can make a huge difference.

Call Lake Cook Plumbing today & start learning more about your plumbing system!

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By zachadmachinescom

Sump pumps serve the very important purpose of helping to prevent flooded property. They’re typically installed in the basements or lower levels of a home or business and work to collect water in a pit, or a sump basin. Afterward, the water is safely diverted from the home in order to prevent flooding. While sump pumps are perhaps most common in residential homes, they’re also useful in marine vessels and commercial buildings as well. 

If you are considering installation, doing so before the spring season would be ideal. If you live in temperate areas with seasonal snowfall, rising temperatures melt much of the snow. In tandem, the spring also brings increased rainfall. Because of increased water, basements and other low levels of foundations become oversaturated with water and can potentially lead to leaks. 

Types 

There are various different types of sump pumps, but the two most common in residential homes are submersible pumps and pedestal pumps. 

The former sits in sump wells and, fitting to the name, is able to effectively operate while under water. They turn on when a float is activated, which suggests that the water has built up to a point in the basin where it needs to be forced out. Pedestal pumps utilize a float as well, but they operate above the sump well. They’re also typically much louder than submersible pumps. While not as common as submersible pumps, pedestal pumps are still found in homes today. 

Two other types of sump pumps are floor sucker pumps, which basically extract water from a floor’s surface, and water-powered pumps, which integrate with a facility’s plumbing to disperse water.

Features 

Good sump pumps come with a variety of features to help keep basements dry. Arguably the most important feature, however, is the battery backup. Sump pumps run on electricity, but during a storm, it’s not unusual for a home to lose power. Battery backups keep the system working during an outage. Other notable features include a water level alarm, which will sound if the water level in the basin exceeds the top of the pump, sump liners that help prevent a sump pit from clogging and a check valve to prevent any water from returning to the pit.

Advantages & Benefits

 A sump pump is a crucial part of any home’s basement waterproofing strategy. A good working sump pump, complete with a battery backup system, can help give homeowners peace of mind, especially during periods of heavy rainfall when flash flood warnings may be issued. Sump pumps work to safely and effectively distribute built up water away from the home’s foundation to prevent the basement from flooding. Having a sump pump can mean the difference between flooded basements, water damage, and contents damage.

Requirements

It’s recommended that a plumber or similar professional conduct any sump pump installation and/or repair. Sump pump installation can be messy, as drilling into the foundation is often required. What’s more is that the installation must be carried out according to local building codes, something that the average DIY’er may not be familiar with.

Common Parts & Construction Materials 

Sump pumps tend to vary based on the type of pump and manufacturer, but most also have some similar parts and materials. For instance, there’s always a drain line to the exterior of the home, which takes the water that’s being forced out of the pit and pushes it away from the property. There’s also often a liner that houses the pump itself, the float, which helps activate the pump when water levels in the pit reach a certain level, and the electrical line that plugs into the outlet to keep the pump operating. While the actual pump can be made of various materials, cast iron is quickly becoming the industry leading material when it comes to quality.

Upgrades

The most common type of upgrade as it pertains to a sump pump installation is size. Specifically, moving up to a larger sump pump. This may be necessary if it’s seemingly always on during periods of heavy rainfall. Thus, a pump with more horsepower may be necessary. Property owners may also elect to have a secondary sump pump installed for similar reasons as well as to complement the work of the primary sump pump.

Life Expectancy & Timing of the Appliance to Expect Degradation

All appliances have a shelf life, and sump pumps are certainly no exception to this norm. What’s more is that because sump pumps work based on a motor, their shelf life is typically less than what you may imagine. In fact, it’s estimated that the standard lifespan of a sump pump is about 10 years. In order to best gauge how well the sump pump is performing and whether a replacement should be considered, it’s recommended to have the sump pump inspected on an annual basis, particularly before the spring storm season.

Call Lake Cook Plumbing today & start learning more about your plumbing system!

Check out our stellar Google reviews!

By zachadmachinescom