“Save water – Shower with a friend”

This may have worked in the 70′s, however, I am not sure that when people showered together that they actually saved water.  I think that other things might have been going on besides washing.

You still have the option to take a shower with a friends today,  but your friends may be getting tired of “shower dates” to save the world.  OR- they just aren’t buying the fact that getting bare is saving the world anymore, then you could turn to water saving devices.

The EPA has created a new standard for water efficiency called Water Sense.  Participating manufacturers that meet the stringent requirements can use the Water Sense label on their product.  This verification allows consumers and builders to feel confident that they are making a difference while buying these products.

BUYER beware! Low flow does not always mean that the product performs well.  For toilets, we have done the research to make sure the the toilet is low flush, plus it actually does flush.  Did you know that toilets have flush ratings?  Many of the more popular toilets out there don’t even have a good flush rating.

Solution: We have made a new list for our Hoots Group clients that shows the flow and the performance as well!  You have low flush that will actually flush!

BUYER beware! Low flow shower heads do use less water, however we have not seen any below 1.75 gallons per minutes that actually work well.

Solution: The standard is 2.5 gallons per minute so this is still a significant reduction.  On a retrofit, if you change out you shower head from a 5 gallon per minute to a 2.5 gallon per minute you are reducing the water consumption by half.  That is just by meeting the existing code.  You can still exceed it by lowering the flow to 1.75 gallons per minute.

Buyer beware! Tankless water heaters need about .6 gallons per minute of water flow to heat the water.  make sure the you don’t reduce your water usage to a trickle or you will not even get hot water from a tankless.  So what can you still do to be green?

Solution: Go Solar!  Solar is about the same cost as a tankless water heater on a retrofit (with the rebates) and it many times more efficient.  You can have over 80% of the water the you use heated by a free energy source- the sun!

So why are we sharing the “buyer bewares?”  Going green is the right thing to do, however, we do not want you to have to sacrifice performance by going green.  This is not the PR that we need for the movement.

The good news is that there are very viable solutions.  If you live in the Atlanta area, we have already done all of the research and can add solar to your house as well as do a complete Water Sense fixture retrofit so you too can do your part to help in our current drought.

I forgot to mention- there are still some rebates here locally that are still available to help cover the cost of the Water Sense retrofit.  There is still the $4500 rebate for Solar Hot Water as well.

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