Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures Save Money

Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures

If you are a homeowner, you know how much high utility bills can cost you. One of the most important things to look into is figuring out how to cut the costs of living in your home without having to cut the quality of life that you have. When it comes to water usage, saving a little bit of water every time that you use your plumbing fixtures can add up to seriously high savings over the course of a lifetime. And you get the satisfaction that comes from knowing it helps the environment, too.

For those among us who are worried about the increasing costs of utilities, it only makes sense to look into toilets that have a low-flush system built it, or to look into low-flow shower heads. A low-flush toilet gets the job done well without actually using the large amount of water that traditional toilets have to use. Some can use as low as 1/3 the amount of water that a normal toilet would use. The low-flush toilet has been touted as one of the best inventions for the environmentally conscious in recent years. Low-flow shower heads function similarly well, and reduce the amount of water used by a gallon or more per minute. Having a low-flow shower head alone can reduce the amount of water by approximately 20%. They are highly efficient, durable, and also look great while saving water.

The low-flow plumbing fixtures that are being used in households today are definitely not the low-efficiency, low-quality shower heads and toilets of yesteryear. A typical shower head uses anywhere from 5 to 7 gallons per minute. Low-flow shower heads keep water usage to a very low ½ to 1 gallon per minute flow while keeping the water hot, and pressure high. Unlike the old low-flush toilets that were known for clogging and usage problems, the newer lines are streamlined, tested, and made to last. In most cases, they are completely unable to be differentiated form a normal toilet. They look the same, they flush with the same results, and they also work in the same way. The only difference that most people ever mention is that low-flush toilets are sometimes quieter than regular toilets.

The reason that the newer models have gotten such great reviews is because of the way that they are designed. Nowadays, engineers add jet streams into the shower heads, which gives them a blend of water and air that gives people the same pressure and the same effect while using much less water. With low flow toilets, similar technology is used to get a stronger flush.

Saving water in your home also has an incredibly positive effect on the environment. For decades, clean water was actually being needlessly flushed down the toilet. Considering how much we need to conserve water, wasting water on toilet flushing is a terribly unnecessary thing to do. Without water conservation, our natural environments suffer. For example. fish lose the quality water that they need in order to survive. After all, only 10% of all waste water is actually disposed of properly. In order to have fresh water available for our next generations, we have to start figuring out how to use as little water as possible.

In 1990, the US government mandated that shower heads had to become low-flow in order to be sold because of the massive negative effect that wasting water was having on the environment. Water that normally would be in streams, lakes, and even falling to the ground as rainwater was removed and treated in large quantities in order to be used by us. This causes a major imbalance in the environment. By choosing a low-flush toilet or a low-flow shower head, you are choosing to help Mother Earth regain the balance needed in order to sustain life.



By Lonnie Rakestraw
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6493863

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Finding the Right Kind of Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures

Finding the Right Kind of Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures

By Radhika Verma

Plumbing fittings include a wide assortment of plumbing hardware including pipes, faucets and the joints that connect these fixtures. It is important to install quality plumbing fittings in order to have an uninterrupted water supply and properly functioning drainage system.

Many people give more attention to internal plumbing fixtures while they ignore the basic plumbing fittings and pipelines that run underneath and alongside their house. They do not entirely realize the importance of having a safe and strong plumbing system.

If the plumbing fittings are not working properly, it can lead to leakages. And if such leakages remain undetected, it can lead to wet walls and cracks in the concrete due to water seepage. The situation can weaken the foundation of your walls. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain a well functioning plumbing system.

Plumbing works need regular checkup and maintenance. Technically speaking, plumbing fittings are nothing but the objects used for connecting two or more pipes. There are different types of fittings available in the market and you should choose only those that are recommended for your plumbing fixtures and pipeline patterns.

If you plumbing system are made of copper piping, brass-bodied fittings would be a more suitable choice. However, the material used for making these fittings is most often made of the same base material as used in case of the pipes. The common metals used for constructing plumbing fixtures and fittings are steel, copper, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), and polyvinyl chloride or PVC.

Finding cheap and affordable plumbing equipments is not a really challenging task. You can begin your quest in your local plumbing supplies store. Common plumbing hardware stores usually offer pipes and fittings at a comparatively reasonable price than your plumber services or local plumbers would provide.

If you need to purchase plumbing equipments for your home, you should know the right size of these fittings and fixtures. You should know the correct measurement or the exact size of the pipe that has to be repaired or jointed using a new fitting. Further, you should be able to identify superior quality fittings from the cheaper ones. if you end up using cheap or used materials for your plumbing system, it will only pay way for more expenses in the form of repair and further maintenance.

So, the bottom line is, in order to ensure that your house is sealed with a high performing plumbing system; you should take the help of an expert. Only a professional plumber would know what kind of plumbing fittings or devices would work well for your pipeline system. A lot of reputed plumbing companies are also offering their services at reasonable rates. By and large, main plumbing supplies that are quite imperative at the time of construction includes sinks, faucets, bath tubs, showers, water heaters and dish washers. All of these items are available in the market in different varieties. There are countless sizes and shapes to choose from.

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How To Pipe For a New Shower - New Shower Fixtures

SHOWER RAIN DOME: This a pretty easy upgrade. Basically it's a huge shower head that makes you feel like you're standing under a gentle waterfall. They come in different shapes and sizes, square and round, large, medium, and small. The only thing you have to consider is the height of the shower. They typically hand from the center of the shower ceiling and sometimes they sit lower in the shower. If the shower doesn't have enough head room you'll whack your noggin on it.

SLIDE BAR WITH A HAND HELD SHOWER: This can be done in two different ways. Usually a slide bar is installed with an adjustable bracket that holds a snap in hand held shower. The slide bar and hand held shower can also be installed next to a stationary shower head. The shower arm is usually installed with a small diverter valve that directs the water from the stationary shower head to the hand held.

BODY SPRAYS: Body sprays can be mounted just about anywhere but they are usually mounted in pairs or, more commonly, in threes. Most times when body sprays are installed a diverter valve must also be installed to divert the water from the fixed shower head to the body sprays.

SHOWER TOWERS: A lot of manufacturers are beginning to manufacture all-in-one shower towers which combine a rain dome shower head, body sprays and a hand held shower in one convenient space saving panel. Jacuzzi's J-shower (shower panel), Kohler's DVT or Waterhaven and Grohe's Aquatower are a few examples. These can be as simple as three body sprays and a shower rain dome and as complex as body sprays, shower rain dome, slide bar with hand held, sound system with IPod dock and LCD complete with Internet connection. These options can be quite expensive, but are generally set up to be "plug and play". Just a word of caution, if you do happen to choose a Kohler DVT, have a plumbing technician that knows his stuff, these need special attention. As long as the opening is correct and the pipe sizing is right, you're good to go.

STEAM GENERATOR: Steam generator units are becoming more and more popular in a homeowner's shower. A steam unit can be installed behind a wall or inside a shower seat. Water is piped to the unit and it is heated to steam, the steam releases through a head or heads in the shower. As with most of the above, these can become quite complex, having custom controls and even aroma therapy.


By Sean Kavanaugh
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4766312

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