Friday, August 7, 2009

Flush Smarter

Bring the Green!

This week’s Green tip is about conserving water. Did you know that your toilet is the single largest user of water in your home? Toilets account for approximately 40% of water use in homes. Here are three ways to save water and money from going down the toilet.


First, you can save water by placing a large river rock or a two-liter bottle filled with water in the back of your tank. This will keep your tank from filling all of the way with water and will still get the job done. Best of all it doesn’t cost much and is a quick fix.


Second, there is a product I found on the internet called the dual flush toilet conversion kit, sold by a company in Michigan for $30. It can be installed on most toilets and the company claims it can reduce water use by 42 gallons per day for a 4 person family, flushing 20 times a day. It works by allowing the user to turn the handle two different directions, one for a full flush and the other for just a rinse. http://www.dualflushkit.com/


Finally, one of the hottest trends in home remodels and building is to install a dual flush toilet. You can choose a large flush or a small flush depending on the need. They cost about $300 and can be purchased almost anywhere toilets are sold.


Toilets built before 1980 use approximately 6-7 gallons per flush, newer toilets use about 3.5 gallons and energy efficient toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush. I challenge you to think about how can you help to save water, our most precious natural resource, and save money by using less water this weekend. Calculate your water use at www.nwf.org/water/watercalculator.


(Graph from evmwd.com)


For more links related to water usage go to the resources page at www.greenphoenixproperty.com.


“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi.


Article by: Melisa Camp

Realtor ®, GREEN

HomeSmart International

1715 W. Northern Ave., #100

Phoenix, AZ 85021

ph: 480-703-3202

melisacamp@cox.net

www.greenphoenixproperty.com

www.bringthegreen.blogspot.com

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