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There are many ways a homeowner can upgrade their home. However, not all upgrades are made equal. Some are simply for the interior aesthetic or to make the house more personalized and efficient. Some, on the other hand, can actually add value to the property. This is where your plumbing service comes in.
If you are looking for a pleasing, efficient, modern remake that will add value to your property, upgraded plumbing is a great investment. There are many ways your plumbing service can help you add personal style while they increase your property’s worth. As an added bonus, these changes can help you save natural resources and money.
Low-flow Faucets & Shower Heads
Low-flow plumbing fixtures, including shower heads and faucets, do exactly what their name implies. They are designed to use less water by decreasing the water flow rate. By using less water per minute, they can lower your overall water usage significantly.
When shopping for low-flow shower heads, check for the product’s water flow rate. Today, shower heads in America are allowed a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). In other words, for the duration of your shower, you will be using 2.5 gallons of water each minute, most of it hot water.
You have a choice between low-flow and ultra low-flow shower heads. Available in a wide array of styles, sizes, and pressures, most low-flow shower heads have a 1.0 – 1.5 gpm flow rate. For maximum water savings, ultra low-flow shower heads have a flow rate of an impressive 0.5 gpm.
Saving water means saving money on your water bill. By having your plumbing service switch your fixtures to low-flow shower heads and faucets, you will be conserving resources and keeping your money in the bank.
Drain Inspection & Repair
Drains are among those of those parts of the house that you rarely think of unless they aren’t working. Whether you are thinking of putting your house on the market or not, investing in drain inspection and repair from a professional plumbing service is one of the smartest ways to protect your home from water damage.
While there are times that a single object or event causes your drains to clog, most drain blockages build up slowly over time. Things like grease, soap, hair products, food particles, and hair can gather around the inner walls of your drain pipes. Eventually, enough debris gets trapped in your drains to completely block it.
When the water can’t flow down your drain, it will back up into your home. Water can damage your floors, walls, furniture, and any belongings it comes in contact with. When you have your plumbing service inspect and repair your drains, you greatly decrease your odds of having an obstructed drain. This keeps your plumbing system working efficiently and lasting longer.
Energy Efficient Toilets
Your toilets are responsible for a large portion of your household’s water usage. If your toilets haven’t been updated in quite a while, you should consider switching to modern, energy efficient models. Your plumbing service could save you money while helping you conserve water.
The age of your toilet has immediate bearing on how much water is used every time you flush. If your toilet is thirty years old, it takes seven gallons of water for each flush. Factor in your family size and number of old toilets and you can get an idea just how much money you have been flushing away every month.
As times change, so do the regulations regarding products for the home. That includes the amount of water plumbing fixtures can use. Now, toilets are only allowed to use a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water each time they flush. So, by simply updating to new toilets, you will automatically cut your household water usage.
For optimal savings, you might consider a water-efficient toilet. These water savers only use around 1.25 gallons of water per flush. There are also dual-flush toilets available, for extended savings. Your plumbing service can install these toilets with two flush options quickly. There is a low pressure flush for liquid waste only and a full-force flush for solid waste material. Since most flushes are to discard liquid waste, you will use only a fraction of the water used in traditional toilets.
Update Your Pipes
Older homes in Tampa, FL have an unmistakable charm that is missing in a new home. However, they often come with a set of old pipes. It’s not only the age and condition of the pipes in your plumbing system that is of concern, it is also a question of the pipe material.
Many homes still have plumbing systems with galvanized steel pipes. While this was commonly used in decades past, we now understand that this material is vulnerable to corrosion. This not only creates a weak link in your plumbing, the corrosion also enters and affects the quality of your home’s water.
You should have your plumbing service inspect your pipes to identify any areas with polybutylene or lead, since these pipes should be replaced first. When your plumbing system has been updated with copper pipes for the supply lines and PVC pipes for your drain lines, your plumbing will work better and last longer. And the taste and quality of your water will be greatly improved.
Tankless Water Heater
One of the biggest design flaws in traditional water heaters is the metal tank for water storage. The tank itself can become corroded and fail to contain the water. If this happens, you will likely have to replace more than just your water heater. Your floors, walls, and stored items can quickly be ruined by standing water.
Another problem is the inefficiency of the heating method. The water is heated and then kept hot until it is needed. This could be hours away. With a tankless water heater, the water is heated up just when you need it. You never run out of hot water and there is no tank to take up room and rust away.
Contact us today at Drain Flo Plumbing to learn more about our plumbing services for Tampa, FL!
