Owning a home in Commerce Township, MI, can prove costly. Among your many expenses is your monthly water bill. Undetected leaks, inefficient appliances, and low-performing plumbing fixtures could cost a small fortune over time. Fortunately, you can cut your spending on water with the right plumbing upgrades. Professional plumbing installation services can help you upgrade outdated fixtures and improve your home’s overall water efficiency. You can also increase your home’s value and marketability.
At Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing, we’re sharing several eco-friendly plumbing upgrades with impressive long-term returns in the form of lower water bills and a higher potential home market value.
Low-Flow Showerheads and Faucets
Contrary to popular belief, switching to low-flow showerheads and faucets won’t have a major impact on the performance of these fixtures. You can still enjoy a satisfying, high-pressure shower without wasting water or paying extra for water heating. Low-flow showerheads and faucets can cut your annual water use by as much as 50%. These fixtures use flow restrictors, laminar flow technologies, and aerators to both limit water waste and ensure adequate and satisfying water delivery.
To optimize the benefits of this transition, look for WaterSense-rated fixtures. WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). WaterSense-rated appliances are guaranteed to reduce water use by 20% or more when compared to standard designs.
How Low-Flow Showerheads and Faucets Can Boost Your Home’s Value
Low flow doesn’t mean low thrills. Fixture manufacturers offer many head-turning products that are WaterSense rated for efficiency. If you’re thinking about selling your home in the near future, fixture upgrades are a great way to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your kitchens and bathrooms. In many cases, these are the spaces that prospective home buyers visit first and pay the most attention to.
Upgrading to high-efficiency fixtures can also garner the attention of eco-conscious and budget-savvy shoppers. Many home buyers are attracted to properties with built-in savings and eco-friendly amenities.
High-Efficiency Toilets
If you haven’t replaced the toilets in your home in more than 20 years, they may use as many as 5 to 7 gallons of water for every flush. Replacing them with modern toilets of any type will reduce your toilet-related water use by half or more. You can also target low-flow toilets or dual-flush toilets for additional water savings.
Low-Flow Toilets
Low-flow toilets use fewer gallons of water per flush, no matter how you’re using your toilets. Although less popular than other eco-friendly toilet designs, they offer an economical entry point for eco-conscious consumers with smaller budgets. Standard low-flow options use just 1.28 gallons to 1.6 gallons for every flush.
Dual-Flush Toilets
Liquid waste and nominal amounts of toilet paper require less water for flushing. Solid waste and larger quantities of toilet paper require more water. While low-flow toilets are inflexible in their water conservation, dual-flush toilets offer sufficient adaptability to accommodate all bathroom needs. Dual-flush toilets can use just 0.8 gallons of water for liquid waste while using 1.6 gallons for everything else. This makes them both more efficient than low-flow options and less likely to clog than low-flow toilets that consistently use just 1.28 gallons.
Choosing dual-flush designs can reduce your water waste while adding to the value and appeal of your property. Home buyers are less likely to balk at eco-friendly toilets when water conservation is married to convenience.
Fresh Toilets Infuse Homes With Fresh Appeal
Updating toilets in your home also comes with aesthetic benefits. Modern toilet designs are sleeker, easier to clean, and more attractive overall. This could be an especially appealing pre-sale update if your current toilets have hard water stains or other in-bowl discoloration. They’re also reliable and have long-lasting parts, which means less water waste due to issues like a worn valve or a leaking base.
Water Softeners for Michigan’s Hard Water Problem
Surprisingly, installing a water softener can cut your water bill, too. All of Michigan, including Commerce Township and the surrounding cities, has hard water. Untreated hard water in your home shortens the lifespan of your water supply pipes and their connections. This can lead to slow and hidden water line leaks that fester unnoticed for months on end.
Unchecked hard water can also lead to longer run times for taps when residents attempt to compensate for low water pressure. Installing a water softener will improve your home’s total flow efficiency over the long term. Although water softeners use water for their own operations, you can choose a model that’s net positive for water conservation by targeting a demand-initiated, high-efficiency unit.
Increase Your Home’s Value With Built-In Water Treatment
In hard water areas, installing a water softener could increase a home’s value by $5,000 or more. You can work with a seasoned plumber to optimize these gains. If selling, you can highlight them by including the installation date and water softener type in your listing.
Water Heater Recirculation Pumps
Tankless water heaters are largely recognized for their energy savings. With their on-demand water heating, they eliminate the standby energy losses associated with standard, tank-based water heaters. While standard water heaters heat water, hold it for future use, and repeatedly use energy to maintain its temperature, tankless water heaters heat water just once.
Hot Water Delays and Water Waste
When people in your home want hot water, they usually turn the faucet on and wait for hot water to travel through the pipes. This delay occurs with both tank and tankless water heaters because the water sitting in the pipes must first clear out before hot water arrives. In some homes, this wait can last several seconds or longer, depending on the distance between the heater and the faucet.
If you’ve upgraded to a tankless water heater for energy savings, you can cut delay times and reduce water waste with a recirculation pump. Recirculation pumps constantly circulate hot water through local supply pipes to eliminate delays in delivery. Professional water heater services can help you choose the right system for your household’s needs.
Choosing a Tankless Water Heater for Energy Savings
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), tankless water heaters can be up to 41% more efficient than standard models in homes that use 41 gallons of hot water a day or less. In homes with higher hot water demand, they can be up to 14% more efficient.
If you have a large household that uses 86 gallons of hot water a day or more, tank-based water heating might be a more suitable choice. Larger families with greater hot water needs can still choose tank-based water heating for efficiency. But they may need two tankless water heaters to ensure an adequate supply of hot water.
New Standard Water Heaters
Gas-fired water heaters have come a long way in recent years. Rather than having pilot lights that burn natural gas all the time, modern gas appliances have electronic ignition switches. Replacing an older gas water heater with a newer model is a great way to reduce your energy consumption and lower your energy bill.
Both electric and gas-fired tank-based water heaters can come with other impressive efficiency upgrades. You can swap your current model for one with better built-in insulation, a more efficient heat exchanger, and a powered sacrificial anode rod, among other improvements.
Find the Perfect Eco-Friendly Plumbing Upgrades for Your Home
Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing has served Commerce Township and the surrounding communities since 1946. We offer and install tankless and standard water heaters, water softeners, and high-efficiency faucets, toilets, and showerheads. As a family-owned company, we maintain honesty, integrity, and transparency as our overarching values. To help locals save, we provide financing on approved credit for major plumbing projects like faucet or toilet replacements.
For the best eco-friendly plumbing upgrades for your Michigan home, contact Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing now!