Environmentally Friendly Plumbing: It’s Easy Being Green (and Saves Money, Too)

Going green can protect the environment and help our Brooklyn and Manhattan neighbors save money on their energy costs. As the first licensed green plumbing company in NYC, Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning is glad to offer some advice on easy ways to make your home more environmentally friendly.

Insulate water pipes

According to GreenBuilding.com, heating water for homes accounts for as much as 30 percent of residential energy consumption. By insulating the pipes and using high-grade pipe insulation, it can lower the energy expenditure needed to heat your water.

Install water saving features

For many Brooklyn residents, plumbing features such as faucets, showerheads and toilets are as historic as the homes themselves. By replacing these dated units with modern, energy-efficient counterparts, you can reduce leaks, conserve water and reduce your energy bill.

Efficient toilets

Newer and more efficient toilets can cut down the amount of water used by as much as 80 percent. A low-flow toilet only uses 1.28 gallons of water per flush, whereas a full-flow toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush. A dual-flush toilet uses only 1.28 gallons for solid waste and only 0.8 gallons for liquid waste. A newer toilet can translate to a potential savings of 10,000 gallons of water each year.

Tankless water heaters

Install a tankless water heater, which uses much less energy than a standard water heater. Instead of wasting energy keeping a huge reservoir of hot water at all times, a tankless water heater heats the water only as it is needed.

Low-flow showerhead

Replacing a traditional showerhead with a low-flow showerhead will reduce the traditional water usage by around 50-70 percent. The homeowner can also install an even greener shower product, the steam shower. While traditional showers use 25 gallons of water per shower, a steam shower uses around 1 gallon of water per shower.

Inspect your home plumbing for leaks

Some homes in Brooklyn and Manhattan are rather old and just as dated are the pipes inside. Detecting leaks can be a difficult task, and in some cases, small leaks can be unnoticeable to an untrained homeowner. A license plumber can give your home plumbing a thorough check-up.

For more information on how to save money through green plumbing, contact your neighbors at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning. For more information visit www.petriplumbing.com or call us at 718-748-1254.