7 Plumbing Service Things You Can Do To Make Your Plumbing More Environmentally Friendly | San Antonio, TX
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More and more people nowadays are concerned about how they can make their homes a lot more environmentally friendly. After all, it seems that the news is always going on about how we are depleting all of the resources that are left here on earth. More homebuyers are also interested in whether their appliances or plumbing systems are eco-friendly or not, and homes that are eco-friendly appear to be more popular on the market. They not only sell quicker, but they also tend to fetch a higher price.
If you are interested in making your home more eco-friendly, or “going green” so to speak, you should contact a plumbing service nearby in San Antonio, TX. Professional plumbing services not only know what to install, but they’ll also be able to perform an energy or water audit of your home in order to get a better idea of which areas are lacking.
Here are 7 common and popular ideas on how you can make your home more eco-friendly. When you speak with a plumbing company about your concerns, consider asking them whether they think any of these ideas would be a good fit for your home.
#1. Insulate the Pipes
Plumbing in many homes is not insulated at all. This is especially true for older homes and can be quite a huge problem as it might cause heat to escape or enter your plumbing with ease. For example, let’s say that the plumbing is carrying hot water to your shower. On a freezing winter day, heat can escape along the way. By the time that the water reaches your shower, it might feel lukewarm. To compensate for that, you might spend more time in the shower. Or, you might set the water to an even hotter temperature, which means that the water heater will need to work even harder to get the job done.
You should definitely call a plumbing service as soon as possible to insulate your pipes if you haven’t already. This will not only make your home more energy-efficient, but it can also lead to cost savings. It’s also important to note that pipes that are not insulated are more likely to freeze when the temperature drops. This increases the likelihood of the pipes bursting. If the pipes burst, you’ll be dealing with a nightmare. Not only is it difficult to replace sections of plumbing in the winter, but you’ll also have to deal with significant water damage. It’s particularly problematic if the water seeps into the foundation of the home.
Popular Types of Insulation
Contact a plumbing service to insulate your pipes. A plumber will be able to perform an in-home inspection in order to provide you with more information on the type of insulation that’s best suited for your home. Fortunately, you have a lot of options to choose from. Some of the most popular options include:
- Foil and foam insulation, which is perhaps one of the easiest insulation materials to work with. Although some people will attempt DIY insulation jobs with this material, it’s best to contact a plumbing service if you want a perfect installation. This type of insulation is a thin, self-adhesive foam with an aluminum foil backing. It’s easy to use and relatively effective. Most importantly, it can last for quite some time.
- Tubular rubber insulation, which is known for offering the best value for its price. Not only can this type of insulation last for a long time, but it’s also durable and energy-efficient. The insulation is a self-seal adhesive that is easy to install as well.
A plumbing service will have more information on the pros and cons of various insulation materials. They’ll be able to offer more recommendations and can help you choose an option that’s well-suited for your home.
#2. Install a Hot Water Recirculation Pump
If you want to go green, you should try to see how you can reduce the amount of energy that goes into heating up your water. Many household appliances rely on hot water. For example, your dishwasher likely relies on hot water to get rid of grease and fats that are stuck on the dishes. Hot water will literally melt them away.
One of the most recommended solutions for cutting down on energy usage is the install a hot water recirculation pump. This appliance will send hot water back to the fixtures that need them, which means that your hot water heater won’t need to work as hard to supply your home with hot water. It also means that you’ll be able to make good use of any water that’s been heated, as it won’t sit around unused.
#3. Consider Going Tankless
If you haven’t considered going tankless yet, now is a good time to do so. Tankless water heaters are considered much more energy-efficient options than regular, traditional heaters. Best of all, they are able to offer a higher quality of living because they can provide you with an endless supply of hot water. You will never have to wait for the heater to warm up its reservoir of water ever again. Whenever you need hot water, you can turn on the faucet and expected it to be there immediately. This means that you’ll never have to experience cold showers or baths ever again unless you want to take them.
On that note, it’s important to know that tankless water heaters can be quite pricey. Due to this reason, look for a plumbing service that can help you look for rebate programs and other government programs that will help you save some money. A good plumbing service in San Antonio, TX will narrow down your choices by providing you with more details about the pros and cons of various features. You’ll be confident in the model that you’ve chosen.
Although tankless water heaters can be a bit pricey, you should know that they will increase the market value of your home. Also, since they use less energy, your energy bills will also decrease. In the long run, these heaters will help you save money.
#4. Look at Low-Flush Toilets and Faucets
You should try to use as little water as possible with your plumbing appliances. Did you know that your toilet uses gallons of water with each flush? You could really improve the overall efficiency of your home, as well as reduce its carbon footprint, by simply installing low-flush toilets. Regular toilets can put a huge strain on the environment, especially if you go to the toilet quite often.
In addition to low flush toilets, you should also consider installing low-flow faucets. They also use a lot less water. Both of these upgrades are fairly easy to install, and you’ll be able to find a plumbing service that will get the job done in no time. The hardest part is finding an appliance that fits the aesthetics of your home and has all of the features that you need.
Once again, if you are concerned about cost, a plumbing service can help you find rebate programs that will help you save more money. We can even help you apply to financing programs and options. At the end of the day, we’ll make sure that we’ll help you find an affordable solution.
#5. Consider Energy Efficient Appliances
Older plumbing appliances also tend to use up more energy. If you’ve moved into an older home in San Antonio, TX, or if you would like to renovate certain areas, consider upgrading to newer appliances. Most of these plumbing appliances will be a lot more energy-efficient. If you’re unsure of whether they make a difference or not, ask the plumbing service to do the math for you. They’ll be able to tell you how much energy you’ll save by making the switch.
The good thing about switching to energy-efficient plumbing appliances is that you will also be improving the market value of your home. In the future, if you sell your house, a lot of potential buyers will be interested in these upgrades because it likely means that the appliances still have a lot of life in them and that they’ll be able to spend a lot less on their energy bills.
Speak with a plumbing service for more information on what types of plumbing appliances are best fitted for your home. We recommend switching to energy-efficient dishwashers and laundry machines. You can easily reduce your water consumption by as much as 50% if you just upgrade those two appliances.
#6. Patch Up All Leaks
You’d be surprised by just how many small leaks are present in most plumbing systems. Although these leaks may not create huge pools of water, the little drips here and there add up. Did you know that the average leaks in a household account for nearly 10,000 gallons of wasted water every year? Even worse, 10% of homes in America have leaks that waste more than 90 gallons of water a day. This places a significant burden on our environment and home.
One of the simplest things that you can do to make your home more eco-friendly is to call a plumbing service for a leak detection service. The findings will provide us with more information as to where the leaks are located and how severe they are. Using this information, or cover his compassion for all of the links that are in your plumbing system. If the situation is too severe, we might recommend that you replace that section of coming instead.
Some plumbing leaks are much easier to spot than others. If your faucets are leaking, you probably already hear the drip regularly. In comparison, if there is a leak in the pipes that are behind your walls, you might not notice these leaks at all. This is why you need to call a plumbing service to perform a leak detection service.
#7. Use Eco-Friendly Water Treatment Products
Last but not least, consider using eco-friendly water treatment products to clean the plumbing system. True sustainability involves more than just reducing your overall water usage or making your plumbing system more efficient. You also need to consider the different types of cleaning chemicals that you use. Most homeowners do not clean their plumbing system themselves and will require the help of a plumbing service.
Due to this reason, it’s essential that you speak with the plumbing service in San Antonio, TX in detail about the types of cleaning products that they use. It’s vital that they use eco-friendly products, as anything that goes into your plumbing system can potentially leak into the groundwater. In general, we recommend avoiding harsh chemicals and using gentler enzyme alternatives instead. These cleaning products will also put less strain on your pipes and drains than more aggressive chemicals.
Call Us for Plumbing Services in San Antonio, TX
It’s never too late to go green. By implementing some of the suggestions that we have recommended above, you too can make a difference. By going green, your household will have less of a negative impact on the environment, and you can also feel good about yourself for doing your part. If you’re unsure of which solutions and recommendations are a better fit for your home, consider speaking with a Plumbing Service in San Antonio, TX.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio is one of the leading plumbing companies in the area. Not only do we strive to provide a unique, catered experience to each customer that fits their needs and budget, but we also are confident in what we do. We stand behind our work and can handle just about any type of plumbing service that you need.
If you want to implement any of the measures above, you can give us a call. One of our plumbers will perform an in-house inspection in order to get a better idea of what your home needs and what it will benefit the most from. You can trust us to provide you with honest, transparent advice at all times.
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