How To Create Plumbing For a Green Home and Lower Water Bills

Green houses are growing in popularity. This is partly because they are better for the environment and partly because a green home is more efficient and cheaper to run.

A big part of creating a green home is to design a plumbing system that is efficient and minimizes water usage. There are several things you can do to help ensure your plumbing system is as green as possible.

Start With The Drains 

Your home has several waste pipes which connect individual appliances to the main sewers. These remove waste products efficiently from the home. Of course, any issue with the drains can cause clogs and potentially damage your home. 

That’s why you need to find a sewer camera for sale and then check your drains periodically. You’ll want to make sure there are no clogs and no damage in the pipes. This doesn’t just ensure the waste products drain efficiently, it prevents them from contaminating the environment. 

Efficient drains ensure the rest of your plumbing mods are worthwhile.

Low-Flow Appliances

You now need to add low-flow appliances or replace the ones you have with low-flow. The average toilet can use 5-7 gallons of water per flush. A green toilet will use just 1-1.5 gallons. That’s an impressive difference. 

The same is true of showers. A standard shower uses 2.5 gallons of water a minute. A low-flow showerhead uses just 2 gallons per minute. It’s a significant saving over the course of a year.

Even your faucets run at roughly 2.2 gallons per minute, this can be reduced to 1.5 gallons per minute. It’s a substantial saving. 

Tankless Water Heaters

The standard approach to hot water is to have a tank that uses heating elements to heat the water to a set temperature. The elements switch on and off to maintain water temperature. Of course, heating a tank from empty takes time and it costs to maintain the water temperature. 

But, if you replace the tank with a tankless, or instant water heater, you’re only paying to heat the water you actually use, as you use it.

While a tankless water heater is a more expensive option, it is considerably cheaper to run and better for the environment. 

Why Green Plumbing Is Important

Green plumbing reduces your use of water which is an increasingly scarce resource on the planet. But, this efficient plumbing also reduces your need to use energy, effectively saving you money on energy bills as well as water bills. After all, less water usage will equate to lower bills. 

Alongside this, you’ll find that green appliances tend to have longer lifespans because they operate under less pressure. This helps you to save more money in the medium to long-term. 

Of course, if you want to go a little further you can consider a borehole on your land to create your own water supply. It’s also possible to collect rainwater and use it when flushing your toilet.