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Each American uses 82 gallons of water every day at home on average, the EPA reveals. The average family also spends over $1,000 annually on water bills. By making simple yet effective energy-efficient plumbing upgrades, to your home you can heat your water more efficiently, while also minimizing your total hot water consumption, and ultimately slash your energy bills.
Insulate your pipes
Insulating your hot water pipes is a simple step that can save 3%-4% on your annual water heating bill. In turn, you’ll save roughly between $8-$12 every year across your pipes’ total lifespan – considering that’s 50 years, you’ll save around $500 in total. Insulating your hot water pipes keeps heat loss to a minimum, as well as ensures you’ll have access to hot water immediately after turning on the faucet. Pipe insulation is also cheap and easy to install; it usually comes in pre-cut strips that simply just need fitting to your pipes.
Upgrade your water heater
A tankless water heater is an energy-efficient alternative to a regular water heater. These units essentially provide hot water on demand; the cold water is funneled through the unit and is heated via electricity or gas – which means your hot water supply lasts until you turn off the faucet. Tankless water heaters are a whopping 24%-34% more energy-efficient than traditional water heaters. They also last longer (around 20-25 years versus just 5-7 years for traditional heaters). To install a water heater, the licensed plumber will need at least three or four hours, as, in addition to disconnecting the old unit, they’ll also need time to install power lines and create new air vents. You can read more about the benefits of tankless water heaters here.
Install water-saving fixtures
Water-saving fixtures can dramatically decrease the volume of water you use every day, and therefore the volume of water heated. For example, WaterSense low-flow showerheads can cut your water and electricity bills by $70, as well as save over 2,700 gallons of water per year. Keep in mind, however, low-flow fixtures do tend to have a slight disadvantage – namely, you’ll have to wait longer for hot water thanks to the reduced water flow. So, as such, you may want to additionally install a recirculation pump to make your low-flow fixtures more energy efficient.
Simple plumbing upgrades are a smart way to save on your water bills. By insulating your pipes, upgrading your water heater, and installing water-saving fixtures, you can improve your plumbing’s energy-efficiency and save money.
