By Ed Del Grande
Q: Hi Ed: We are looking to cut water usage and started washing clothes and dishes only when we have full loads. I also addressed small leaks and drips in the plumbing system. Where do we go from here to save even more water?
— Barry, Iowa
A: Changing your lifestyle is only part of the solution when it comes to water conservation. Your next step is to update and or replace the three big water users in your home.
The three areas to address are your faucets, showers and toilets. The good news is in most cases, the improvement costs can be lower than you think.
- First, with faucets you may be able to just change the aerators on the spouts to around 1 gallon per minute (gpm).
- Second, showers are another easy upgrade. Look for showerheads that use about 2 gpm.
- Third, switch to a high-efficiency toilet that uses less than 1.3 gallons per flush.
See, saving water can be as easy as one, two, three.
Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book “Ed Del Grande’s House Call,” the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com
