Your water heater is a must-have in your house, however, water tanks also contribute to increasing energy consumption and most take up a larger amount of space in your home. When it's time to think about replacing your current water heater you may want to consider the demand-type or tankless water heater unit which heats water directly without using a storage tank.  Once a water tap is on, the cold water goes through a pipe into the unit. With tank heaters, you will need to wait for the tank to fill up with a sufficient amount of water and wait for the heater to heat up to provide you with hot water. With Demand-type water heaters, you can limit the flow rate while avoiding standby energy losses. Plus, tankless water heaters hang on the wall and can be installed on the exterior of your house requiring much less space.

Water Filtration and reverse osmosis can remove as much as 98% of contaminants from your drinking water. This is much more effective than using a charcoal filter alone, which is incapable of removing certain contaminants. Given how powerful and effective reverse osmosis systems are, you might be surprised to learn that they actually don’t use electricity. This stands in stark contrast to something like distillation, which requires heat and electricity. A reverse osmosis system benefits from the water pressure in your home. One of the additional pros of a reverse osmosis filter is that it connects directly to your faucet, providing clean drinking water on demand. 

Upgrading to low flush toilets and low flow fixtures are a great way to reduce your water usage and help your planet! If you are upgrading the toilets in your house, make sure you choose toilets that will also help you minimize your water usage daily. Low-flow toilets use less water each time you flush, and others give you the option to customize each flush using a Dual-Flush button. This dual-flush designed toilet lets you choose between two options for water consumption during flushing. The first option is for liquid waste that uses less water, and the second is for solid waste, which will require a bit more than option number one. Your toilet should also be repaired if you're hearing the water in the tank running constantly or you notice leaking from the base, both are causing water to be wasted which will increase your water bill.

Kitchen and bathroom faucets also contribute to water usage and wastage in your home. High-efficiency faucets come equipped with an aerator that combines water and air. The water flow is reduced, but the water pressure remains stable. You will not notice a difference at all in the amount of water being delivered to your faucet. Still, the high-efficiency faucet helps you save a significant amount of water from being exhausted daily. If your faucet is leaking, that's another huge waste water and can cause damage to your counter and cabinets. Ask one of our experts about the different faucet options and choose the right design and functionality for your home.

Fixing any water leaks in your house is a basic and effective way to minimize excessive water consumption. Pipe leaks mean water loss and water loss translates to billable water consumption, even when you're not using it! So checking your faucets, pipes, and toilets for possible leaks will help avoid unnecessary water waste. It will also prevent any water damage or restoration issues, like mold or mildew that can be very expensive to resolve. A simple pipe leak can exhaust up to 20 gallons of water per day, a slab leak can consume even more. An easy way to also determine the potential leak is by checking the water meter before and after a long period when you are not consuming any water. If the meter changed despite not using the water, then you can surely assume that you have got a leaking pipe hiding somewhere in your house. This would be the time to call an experienced plumber to inspect your home.

Just like low-flow toilets, this option is available with showerheads too. About 25% of household water usage comes from showering, and low-flow showerheads can help decrease your water usage up to 40% which will reflect on your monthly water bill. You can choose from two types of low-flow showerheads. The first one is called non-aerating, which means the water flow is being restricted and being squeezed through small holes. This creates a strong water splash or works as massaging water spirits. The second one is called aerating heads, which combine water with oxygen, creating a softer, bubbly shower effect.

Other things you can do around your home to help reduce your water waste, energy costs and ensure your home is as efficient as possible:

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1. Remove the plumbing from your exterior walls

2. Insulate hot water pipes to prevent heat loss

3. Don't leave faucet turned on while brushing your teeth

4. Upgrade your dishwasher, washing machine and other appliances to eco-friendly and sustainable ENERGY STAR® units. This will save you tons of money and help the environment! 

5. Install a timer for your sprinkler system, tons of water is wasted when you turn the water on and walk away for a long period of time. Installing a timer will ensure only the water you need is dispersed and not excessive amounts.