The rapid changes that took place on our earth years ago resulted in the mayhem that has caused it to break out fiercely against the only perpetrators that launched the attack: mankind. As such, we see higher waters levels in some areas, flooding in places that have never had floods, unbearable heat waves and catastrophes from one side of the earth to the next. With the signs of the times upon us and the earth crying ”enough is enough!!’, mankind finally paid attention to the bleeding earth and has launched what many regard as going green or sustainable living. Chances are you are maybe wondering how does going green have anything to do with your plumbing needs. This article will show you and just about all plumbers will also tell you that your plumbing has a direct effect on the health of the earth.
Water Usage
Do you ever stop to think just how much water you waste each say while you are taking a bath or just brushing your teeth? Are you the type that will leave your tap running while you eye yourself in the mirror brushing your pearly whites? If your answer to the latter is ‘yes’ and the former ‘no’, then it is obvious that:
- You need to change how you approach the use of water in your house
- You need to install fixtures that will allow you to have some control over the water that you are using.
As a guide we have outlined a few re-modeling projects that you can consider and just about any plumber will recommend to have your say is saving the earth and also saving some money.
Install a device that checks for leaks– A leak that is left unnoticed not only causes great water loss it also causes great financial loss as well. Check to see which home leaking device is being recommended by plumbers and relevant plumbing bodies before you install one.
Install faucets that have regulated flow: You may have seen this in the bathroom of your local cinema or even the bathroom at work. However, these faucets are programmed to only supply a required amount of water to do certain things and once that amount has been supplied then it stops until the user triggers it again for more. In other words it does not have the water running until you soap your hands, wash them, look at your self in the mirror, dry your hands and then chose to turn it off. If turns itself off automatically. This not only saves on the water bill, it also saves the earth. While the initial cost of getting one and hiring a plumber to install it may weigh on the pocket at first, it does pay itself off in the long run.
Install toilets that use little water- There are toilets on the market that have been developed to supply a certain quantity of water based on ‘number 1 OR number 2’. If you select that you have done ‘number 1’ then it releases a reduced amount of water to get rid of it. If you select the control for ‘number 2’ it supplies more water to remove it. Toilets are the biggest water users on the market. A typical one may use up to 28 gallons for every person in a house and those that are programmed to use less may use up to five times less the amount of a typical toilet.
Heat Usage
In countries that suffer from horrible winter days and threats of broken pipes during winter proper heating is tied in with both comfort and life. While heating may have its benefits on a house and the people that are in it, the means in which it is attained usually has a direct impact on the environment. Homeowners that are planning to re-model their houses can think about improving how they use the heat in it. While this might be a costly solution for most people and usually the best for only those that are just starting to build a house, taking the steps below into consideration is playing your part in saving the earth.
- Install pipes closer to the inner part of the wall rather than the outer part- If you ask a plumber what is his or her opinion about installing a pipe on the outer part of a wall, he or she will quickly tell you that when it comes to reducing heating costs and avoiding broken pipes in the winter it is better on the inner wall. This is because the further the tubes are in the wall and closer to the outer part of the house, the more heat is required to penetrate the wall to heat the pipes that are running in it. This directly affects your heating bill and there is no guarantee that the pipes will be insulated enough to not break.
- Always check the insulation of your pipes and insulate them if there are not insulated. You can insulate your pipes by applying a pipe sleeve, insulated tape or thermostatically- controlled cables. This will reduce the amount of heat that is needed to keep the pipes warm.
Always check to see that the insulation system that you installed from the previous winter season is still working. If you find that this is something you would rather call an professional to do then ensure that the plumber you hire understands everything about insulated pipes and can make any other suggestions towards the cause.
