Saving Water - Saving Money in your Home - from a Home Inspector's point of view
A few years ago, Surrey, and some other municipalities inplemented the possibility of having a water meter vs just an annual fee for water. For myself, a water meter has saved thousands of dollars, but if you have a large home, or suites, and multiple people living there, it might be worth it to go with the general tax levy. Simple things like not letting the faucet run while you brush your teeth can save nearly two gallons of water per minute. Plus, it can save you a tremendous amount on your next water bill! Here are three ways you can immediately reduce water usage in your home or business today!
1- Low-Flow Toilets
On average, more water is wasted in the bathroom than anywhere else in your home. While you can take shorter showers or turn off the faucet, the toilet remains the biggest waste in the room. Luckily, you can switch to a newer low-flow toilet that saves the water for you!
Most models made before 1994 continue to use three to five gallons of water per flush. To be certified as a low-flow toilet, newer models must use no more than 1.6 gallons for each flush. This means that you can save an average of 60% or more without changing your habits at all!
For saving water and significantly cutting down on your bill, a low-flow toilet continues to be one of the wisest investments today.
2- Urinals
Although I don't see many when I perform a home inspection in the Lower Mainland, urinals are very helpful for businesses, and even homeowners, as they take up minimal space, reduce water usage, and ensure that customers can avoid long wait times. Unlike toilets, you can retrofit your urinal with simple upgrades that will quickly and immensely reduce water usage. While an average urinal uses one to three gallons per flush, newer models and upgrades can reduce water usage by nearly 50-90% per flush.
Another option includes switching to a waterless urinal which uses gravity instead of traditional flushing. With all of these options, you can drastically cut down on water usage while maximizing space and efficiency. Since the price of water isn’t going down anytime soon, you’re also looking at significant savings over the following years!
3- Tankless Water Heaters
I'm seeing a lot more of these during home inspections. Classic water heaters come with a number of problems including long wait times for hot water, wastage, and the possibility that the tank may burst when you least expect it. With tankless water heaters, you can get hot water right when you want it at any moment. Since it doesn’t waste time heating water when you don’t need it, you’ll never have to pay more for your hot baths again! Best of all, there’s no risk of spillage since the water is pulled and heated in real time. I've used a tankless water heater (Braun) for several years now. It does take a little bit longer for the heated water to reach the tap.
