Category: saving water

Before we go into what measure you can take for Fix a Leak week, let’s go into the history of this event.

The WaterSense division of the EPA started Fix a Leak week seven years ago to remind Americans to identify and repair leaks in their household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems. WaterSense and its partners, including cities, companies, and non profits engage in week long educational activities and events around the country. This year it is taking place from March 16, 2015 through March 22, 2015.

How much water is wasted?

It is estimated that the average American home loses approximately 10,000 gallons each year due to leaks coming from dripping faucets, running toilets and other leaking valves. This amounts to 1 trillion gallons of water annually around the US. The good news is that it’s an easy problem to fix. The first step to take is to determine if you have a leak. Please see the WaterSense Fix Leak events page to find an event near you.

How to determine if you have a leak?

• Check your water bill. If you see an anomaly in the pattern of your gallon usage, e.g. spikes, chances are you have leaks.
• Observe your water meter, say for a 1 to 2 hour period. If you have not been using any water and the meter changes, you probably have a leak.
• Go through house and listen for drips in the toilets and faucets. There is an easy way to tell for sure with your toilet. Simply drop a toilet leak detection dye tablet in your toilet tank. These leak tablets have a harmless food coloring giving them a blue or green color. If there is a leak, the color will show in the toilet bowl without flushing.

What steps can you take?

• The first step to take is to fix the leaky fixture. So if the leak is coming from your toilet, changing out the toilet flapper or flush valve is the easiest way to fix the problem. If it’s a faucet or valet, get a wrench and tighten
• If you have older plumbing fixtures e.g. showerheads, faucets, toilets, consider replacing them with WaterSense-labeled plumbing fixtures. In most cases, the investment can pay for itself in a matter of months. For example, investing in a 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) low flow showerhead can cost less than $10, and can help you save thousands of gallons if you have a showerhead that dispenses water at 2.5 gpm or more.
• When installing a new showerhead, wrap the shower arm with teflon tape. This tape is specially produced to reduce the likelihood of experiencing shower leaks.

Save Water, Save Money

By taking these steps, not only will you be saving water, but also energy as it takes a lot of energy to heat the water. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month. So fixing the leaks can result in significant water and energy savings as well as lowering your utility bills. So spend a few minutes this year identifying and fixing those leaks.

You turn the knob of the shower and the water falls in a steady cascade. You’re enveloped in the falling beads of water, not too strong and not too weak. The thought of sacrificing such a luxurious shower experience for water efficiency is the furthest thing from your mind. But going green doesn’t mean we have to disregard our comfort. With pressure compensating showerheads and aerators we can achieve energy efficiency without sacrifice.

The water pressure is measured in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) and can vary significantly in each home. The higher the PSI the higher the water pressure. It can be as low as 20 PSI whilst in others it can be as high at 80 PSI. In a low pressure home, the shower stream can feel very weak. This is further amplified when you have a lower flow showerhead. Fortunately this can be corrected with a pressure compensating showerhead, which essentially regulates showerheads and faucets. When pressure fluctuates, pressure compensation works to maintain efficiency and consistency so that the flow is kept constant when the pressure is between 40-80 PSI. This creates an optimal shower experience, giving you both peace of mind knowing you’re doing your part in saving water while still relishing in your shower experience.

Pressure compensating showerheads and aerators work through the use of a small rubber ring. The rubber ring expands depending on the pressure applied, in turn blocking the holes and reducing the amount of water coming through the tap. When pressure drops, the rubber ring is more relaxed, meaning more water is able to come through the holes in the tap. While the initial cost may be a bit more, you can expect to see a return of investment in typically less than two months.

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Daily water usage racks up your water bill fast, especially in the summer heat. Sometimes it may be hard to even recognize how much water we use in a day because of our busy schedules. Lets be honest, at the end of the day when you get home from work and prop your feet up, your water bill is probably one of the last things on your mind.  So, how is a household or a business supposed to be able to monitor or reduce their daily water consumption and find the time in such a fast paced world?

There is a simple solution to this. At Conservation Mart, we have an inexpensive way for you to conserve water. We carry water savings kits that are catered to indoor and/or outdoor use.

Items that you would typically find in one of our indoor water savings kits would be:

• A Low Flow Showerhead – Reduce shower water use up to 30%
• Faucet Aerators – Cut down on faucet usage up to 50%
• Toilet Leak Detection Tablets – Alert you of a leak, saving potentially thousands of dollars
• Toilet Tank Banks – Save up to 1 gallon of water per flush

Typical items in an outdoor water savings kit would be:

• Garden Hose Spray Nozzle – Limits the amount of water used by the garden hose
• Moisture Meter – Gives you the moisture level of your soil to avoid over-watering plants
• Rain Gauge – Measures rainfall to also help avoid over-watering
• Water Conservation Wheel – Full of tips on various ways to save water

Both indoor and outdoor water saving items are easy to install (if installation is even needed) and start conserving water instantly! (Which means a lower water bill for you.) Visit our site to view all of the water saving kits available. Using these products to conserve and save is the perfect solution in this fast paced world!

Over the past couple of years, Americans have strived to become more water efficient. But how do we know the products we are using are conserving natural resources, reducing water consumption, and saving us money?

This question was a difficult one to answer, until the creation of the WaterSense label!

The WaterSense label makes it simple for consumers to be able to find and use water efficient products. WaterSense is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In order for a product to become WaterSense, companies must sign partnership agreements.

Why use WaterSense labeled products?

• Product’s performance is equal to or better than less efficient products
• At least 20% more water efficient ( conserving water means conserving energy which reduces carbon pollution)
• Provides measureable results( watch your water bill shrink! )
• Can save up to 700 gallons of water per year
• Display water savings on a national level ( 487 billion gallons of water saved since 2006!)

We feel that it is our mission to help YOU choose the best low flow showerheads and aerators to not only save money, BUT be a part of the larger picture—conserve water while helping the environment.

So if you like saving money (and who doesn’t?), start by looking for products that have the WaterSense stamp of approval.

In deciding the right low flow aerator, you have a choice in the water flow stream. You can select between a bubble or aerated stream and a Needle spray. Both restrict water flow, but the nature of the water stream is different.

 

A low flow bubble faucet aerator restricts the water flow from the faucet. This type of aerator adds air to the water flow to enhance the water stream to give the sensation of a larger flow even though it’s dispensing less water. It is ideal for use in both bathroom and kitchens. A bubble faucet aerator typically has a cross mesh screen  to act as a flow restrictor and aerate the water.

A needle spray aerator produces a shower like pattern when dispensing water. Needle spray aerators are the only choice when you are selecting an ultra low flow faucet aerator e.g. 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or lower. The technology is not available yet to produce an aerated/bubble stream for 0.5 gpm or lower flow. Needle spray aerators provide a good coverage of water when washing hands and so are often preferred in commercial applications. They have tiny holes around the base of the aerator through which the water is dispensed.

Both type of aerators also come with pressure compensating features . This is an important features in a normal low flow aerator, the water flow is restricted at low pressures. So a pressure compensating aerator will compensate for the fluctuations in pressure to produce an even water flow.

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