Ask the plumber: Save water with good faucets, aerators

Q. I enjoy your passion for saving water and I’m ready to start upgrading my plumbing fixtures to be more efficient so I can lower my water bill. Can you give me some guidelines to get started? Please keep in mind that right now I’m on a fixed budget.

A. I have the perfect project for you to consider.

First, here are some water-saving basics. You can save thousands of gallons of water a year in these three areas: efficient toilets, showers and faucets.

My first two suggestions are to replace any toilets and showerheads made before 1990. You can noticeably reduce water consumption by upgrading to a new high-efficiency toilet or water-conserving showerhead.

While these projects are well worth investing in, material and labor costs may hold you back for now. So, to get you on the fast track to water conservation, I recommend starting with your faucets.

Standard faucets can use about 2.2 gallons per minute. New high-efficiency faucets use about 1.5 gallons per minute and deliver significant water savings over standard faucets.

Here’s even more good news: As long as your present faucets are in good shape, in most cases you won’t have to change them. At the very end of the faucet spout is a small, inexpensive control called an aerator. Aerators screw into the spout and control the water flow.

If you can unscrew the present aerator and take it down to your local plumbing supply house, its representatives can set you up with a new “low-flow, high efficiency aerator” to match your present faucet. Once you install the new water-saving aerator on your older faucet, you’ll have a water-saving faucet.

Bottom line: This is one project that can really conserve your water — and your wallet.

Q. The holidays are coming and we’re expecting overnight guests for at least a few days. Since a lot of people will be showering, and we’ll be running the dishwasher more often, I’m afraid of running out of hot water. Does my dishwasher have a heater, or will it draw the hot water from my house water heater? Any other hot-water-saving tips you can give me will be appreciated.

A. As far as the dishwasher goes, I’ve always seen residential dishwashers hooked up to the hot-water lines. So, heater or no heater, it should still draw from your home’s hot-water tank. My advice for washing dishes is to run your dishwasher in the late evening, when showering times are off-peak.

Speaking of showers … In my opinion, that is where you can save the most hot water. Your present showerheads are probably using 2½ gallons a minute, or even higher if they are older-style heads.

New high-efficiency showerheads can use less than 2 gallons a minute, and that can save about 20 percent of your showering water. If you lower your shower-water use, you can extend the number of showers you take before you run out of hot water.

The good news is that many of these new high-efficiency showerheads still deliver a strong shower, while also saving water. New air-induction technology, like the Katalyst systems I’ve seen, mixes air and water to create a pleasant and efficient showering experience.

Bottom line: By staggering times of hot-water use and upgrading to high-efficiency showerheads, your extended family can receive your “warm wishes” this holiday season.

Q. I enjoy your column and over the summer I found your story on standby generators interesting. But I did not follow through on your recommendation to look into them further, especially if your house has a sump pump to control basement water. Well, now my tune has changed, since I’ve gone through a long-term power outage and dealt with a flooded finished basement.

I’m ready to invest in my home, and would like some ballpark information. Could you tell me what kind of price tag goes along with installing a standby-generator system?

A. Sorry to hear about your recent experience, but if it makes you feel better, you’re not alone. I speak about standby power systems at many home shows, and the most interested people are those who have a story like yours. They all tell me “never again,” and ask how much they can expect to spend for a complete standby-generator power system.

Now, this can be a tricky question, so let’s start at the beginning.

A “standby” generator is not a “portable” generator. Standby systems are natural- or propane-gas-fired, and are permanently installed to your home’s electrical system. This makes them an “automatic” system that has to be added to your home by a licensed and insured standby-generator contractor.

Since these systems include landscaping, gas pipe fitting, electrical work and proper sizing of the generator, prices can vary greatly. I don’t want to avoid your question, so here’s what I’ve experienced. Usually, for an average-size home, the system could be installed for less than $10,000. Roughly half of that would be for the generator itself, and the other half would be for permits, system materials and subcontractor labor.

Bottom line: Standby generators can be a big investment, but what they can save may be priceless!

Ÿ Master contractor and plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of “Ed Del Grande’s House Call” and hosts TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.

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