How Going Green Saves Brooklyn Homeowners Money

At Petri, we’re not only the Brooklyn heating and plumbing experts, we’re also New York’s first Green Plumbers. That means we care deeply about the environment. Every day, we work to help Brooklyn homeowners make their homes just a little greener. But over the past few decades, that job has gotten a lot easier with the introduction of high-efficiency HVAC systems, low-flow fixtures and appliances that get the job done with less water and energy than ever before.

Safeguarding Against Rising Rates

Utility rates here in New York are higher than they’ve ever been. In 1980, city dwellers paid just $.66 for 1 CCF, or 748 gallons of water. Today, they pay $10.33 for the same amount. That means a family of four can spend $40 to $50 in water and sewer costs per month, and that’s before any administration fees and taxes.

If we were still using the same fixtures we had back in the 80s, we’d all be paying a lot more. Luckily, programs like the EPA’s WaterSense have improved the efficiency of showerheads, faucets, toilets and other fixtures around the home dramatically. Today’s showerheads use as little as two gallons per minute, compared to the 5 GPM of older models. Toilets are down to 1.3 gallons per flush, and they’re more effective than ever before!

Today’s low-flow bathroom products are engineering marvels, and they’re saving families a lot of money. According to the EPA, replacing a showerhead saves the average family 2,700 gallons per year, not to mention the electricity and fuel saved in heating that water. When combined with low-flow fixtures and efficient toilets, families can save nearly 20,000 gallons a year!

Savings Aren’t Just for the Bathroom

That’s not all, though. As of this year, Freon was finally phased out in favor of safer, cleaner refrigerants for HVAC units. That’s made servicing older units difficult, but it has encouraged many homeowners to replace their existing systems with more efficient and effective ones. Furnace fan efficiency standards also went up, which means new furnaces use much less energy moving air.

Overall, today’s HVAC units are quieter, and they sip electricity compared to the products of two or three decades ago. All of these systems are helping families stay warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. They’re keeping their bank accounts a little greener, too. If you want to take advantage of these great products, we can help. Just give us a call at (718) 748-1254 or schedule an appointment with Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning online to learn more.