What to Know About Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures

Going green doesn’t just benefit the planet. Installing eco-friendly plumbing fixtures can save you more on utilities, helping to save homeowners money and preserve our planet’s natural resources. Whether you want to make a big change with green pipes and water tanks or a minor adjustment with green faucets, any eco-friendly update to your traditional plumbing can have long-lasting advantages for your home and your wallet.

At Tom’s Mechanical Inc., we can install green plumbing fixtures effectively and efficiently, ensuring minimal disruption so you can have your house back as soon as possible.

Types of Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures

• Faucets: Eco-friendly faucets use an aerator to reduce water wastage. An aerator mixes air into the water to maintain a consistent flow while using less water overall. Alternatively, our plumbers can replace your traditional faucet handles with sensor-activated technology so water is only dispensed when needed, minimizing unnecessary waste.

• Pipes: Green pipes made from copper, PVC, PEX and other sustainable materials function with the same durability and longevity as traditional pipes, just with more sustainable efficiency.

• Water Tanks: Eco-friendly hot water tanks are designed with insulation to limit heat loss, saving energy and money on hot water. Exterior tanks for rainwater harvesting combined with drip systems are also becoming a popular way of water landscaping. It’s also possible to install more complex rainwater collecting solutions for potable water indoors. Although these systems are more complicated and take up more space, rainwater is naturally soft and doesn’t require as much treatment as you might expect. While some states enforce restrictions regarding rainwater harvesting equipment, Texas isn’t one of them. In fact, the state even incentivizes homeowners to utilize this technology by offering a sales tax exception for rainwater harvesting equipment through the Texas tax code 151.355.

• Tankless Water Heaters: Although tankless water heaters have a couple of limitations (like serving a smaller area effectively), there are also some benefits to heating water on demand. Since they don’t have to keep a whole tank heated at all times, tankless water heaters only use energy when a hot water spigot or appliance is turned on.

• Toilets: Low-flow toilets and dual-flush toilets (which give users a full and partial flush option) use substantially less water per flush than traditional toilets without compromising performance.

• Showerheads: Green showerheads can maintain the same water pressure as their traditional counterpart while using less water.

The Pros and Cons of Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures

Advantages

Eco-friendly plumbing fixtures conserve a significant amount of water, helping to preserve the precious resource in a state known to experience droughts. They can also help you lower your water bills each month.

While eco-friendly fixtures can cost more to install than their traditional counterparts, their ability to save you more in the long-term on utilities can make the initial cost more than worth it for some homeowners. They may also appeal to some homebuyers when you eventually sell your home.

Potential Disadvantages

Some plumbing systems may not be compatible with eco-friendly fixtures. They could require additional modification or even a complete overhaul of the plumbing infrastructure in extreme cases, which can be more expensive and disruptive.

That said, if your plumbing system is too old for a green plumbing upgrade, it might be having other issues, such as low water pressure or leaky pipes, that could be costing you more than you realize. At Tom’s Mechanical Inc., our plumbers can inspect your home and help you discover the root cause of your plumbing problems. In some cases, installing new pipes, potentially eco-friendly ones, may save you more than a simple tune-up could.

Another potential drawback of green plumbing is its resiliency to hard water. Texas’s notoriously hard water can cause flow-hampering buildup on traditional plumbing fixtures. Hard water may have an even more noticeable impact on eco-friendly fixtures, as mineral buildup can reduce flow and proper function, necessitating frequent maintenance.

Whether you have traditional or green plumbing, a water softener[1]  can keep your water flowing smoothly.

Can I Install Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures Myself?

While some fixtures, like low-flow showerheads and faucets, can be installed by homeowners, a professional plumber can make your more complicated installations, including water heater replacements and pipe upgrades, a stress-free process. They can also ensure even simple fixtures like toilets and showerheads are properly installed and calibrated for optimal function and water use reduction.

We can provide the expertise to ensure everything is in working order and in adherence with Arlington’s building codes.

We’ll Make Sure Your Plumbing Is Always Performing at Its Best Without Costing You a Fortune

At Tom’s Mechanical Inc., we’ve been keeping Arlington homeowners’ plumbing running optimally and costing them less for more than 60 years. Our experts can check, fix or replace your plumbing effectively so your family can enjoy clean and safe water for less. We’re also available 24/7 to perform emergency services so you and your family can be protected from even the worst-case scenario.

To install eco-friendly fixtures in your home today or learn more about our plumbing services, call (817) 277-4493 or explore our fixtures page online.

  Link to "Hard vs Soft Water" Batch 11 Blog