3 Plumbing Upgrades That Save Money Over Time

When you’re a renter, you often don’t have to pay for some of the necessities that come into your home, like water. When you own your home, though, you start to see that the bills add up a lot faster than you think. You’re responsible for every drop of water that comes in through the meter, on top of every bit of fuel and electricity you use.

It’s worth it to take the time to assess your home systems and make some changes that could benefit your wallet in the long term. This might be surprising, but your plumbing system tends to use up a lot of the resources you need, and not just water. Find out how to cut money by making a few upgrades to your plumbing!

1. A Tankless Water Heater

Tankless water heaters use only a fraction of the energy and fuel that tank water heaters do. Why? A tank water heater (the standard kind in homes) has to remain lit and running all the time. That’s 24 hours of energy and fuel usage so that hot water is always available when you need it.

But do you really need hot water 24 hours a day? Of course not! You only need hot water when you turn on the hot water tap, which happens when you shower and then a handful of times in a day.

Tankless water heaters heat up the water “on demand” instead. So, when you turn on a hot water tap, the heat exchanger ignites, turning off again when you don’t need it anymore. This can save a lot of money over the course of a year.

2. Water Softener

A water softener is not like other water treatment systems. It is not designed to clean your water in order to make the drinking water pure. It’s designed to clean minerals out of the water which are usually safe to ingest.

Minerals like calcium and magnesium are commonly found in water. It’s an issue known as “hard water.” Hard water leaves mineral deposits behind in the pipes, in the water heater, and other plumbing fixtures. This buildup can clog up a system and force you to replace plumbing components sooner.

A water softener uses a brine solution to “scrub” minerals out of the water. It replaces the minerals with salt ions. You’ll notice a difference when cleaning, washing your hair, and rinsing dishes!

3. Low-Flush Toilet

A low-flush toilet is able to use less water with every flush. When compared to toilets made about 20 years ago, they use about 1/3 of the water used back then. How can they get away with this and not constantly clog up?

It’s the pressure that allows for better drainage, not the water volume. Pressurized air assists in pushing down the water at a faster rate. You can save even more water with a toilet that has dual buttons, one for liquid waste and one for that which you’d rather not think about.

To get better plumbing in Englewood, NJ contact the pros at Total Comfort Services.