You hear a lot about green energy, energy efficiency, and reducing emissions. However, did you know your plumbing can affect not only your environmental impact but your bottom line? Consider that NYC alone consumes over one billion gallons of water per day. Green plumbing can improve a variety of efficiencies including heating and cooling. Every one of those gallons requires the infrastructure to travel through the municipal water supply, have its safety ensured, and be delivered to its point of use. But that is not the end of it. Wastewater also requires infrastructure, treatment and testing, before it can be returned to the environment.
What you can do to incorporate Green Plumbing
Proper insulation of hot water pipes can not only reduce energy costs but provide faster delivery of hot water to kitchen or bath, reducing overall water use. An even more efficient option is a tankless water heater.
Identifying and repairing leaks can offer significant savings. A dripping faucet or shower head might be easy to identify, but other leaks are not so obvious. A single leaky toilet can waste thousands of gallons per year. Some older New York homes have vintage plumbing, and leaks may require a trained eye to detect. Commercial and industrial buildings may be even more complicated.
Upgrading older fixtures can reduce your water usage significantly. Newer low-flow faucets reduce water consumption without compromising performance. New toilets can use just over a gallon of water per flush, compared with over 4 gallons per flush in some older units. That is more than a 70% reduction in usage! Showerheads can also be switched to low-flow models for additional conservation. Multiply these improvements by every tap and toilet, and the savings are substantial.
If you are interested in saving money, and making a positive impact on our environment, contact family owned and operated Kew Forest Plumbing and Heating. We have been serving the NYC area for nearly 90 years, and we have the skills and expertise to help preserve our water supply for future generations. Contact Kew Forest Plumbing today for your next plumbing and heating need.
