You may have heard the word retro-fit being mentioned quite a bit these days. In the time of active earthquakes and lack of water, it is on the tip of the tongue of anyone selling a home, buying a home, or remodeling a home. Retro-fit is not just about strapping bookcases to walls and strapping your water heater to the wall and installing the gas shut-off valve. Retro-fit also includes changing your toilets and shower heads and faucets – and during times of water emergencies, it is not a request, it’s a rule.
If your home is more than twenty years old, some of your remodel or sale profits will be going to install low-flow toilets, shower heads, and faucets. A home up for sale will not be allowed to go to close unless the retro-fit requirements are met. The person buying your come can sign a waiver agreeing to make those changes, but you must have that in writing. If you do not, you are deck for any violations.
Low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons of water and the force of air to reduce water consumption. If your toilet is more than twenty years old, it probably uses more than 13 gallons of water! It is a huge difference. The low flow toilet came into the plumbing mix in response to the desperate need to conserve water. A low-flow sink faucet uses a maximum of 1.5 gallons of water per minute. This reduces the water flow by 30% or more. This could save billions of gallons of water each year. If you choose wisely, your new product will not cost you in performance. You would barely notice the difference.
A low-flow shower head allows air to force flow in the water. This means an even spray. They reduce and focus the water spray as they control the size and direction in which the water drops will flow. A shower head made before 1992 uses 5.5 gallons of water per minute. The low-flow shower head uses a mere 2.5 gallons of water per minute. This could save 27,000 gallons of water per year for the average family of four or less. Contrary to popular belief, a water saving shower head is not a punishment. If you pick the right one, you will truly not even notice you are saving money and the planet. For all the rules, please read the following, http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article2585708.html.
A low-flow faucet works very similarly to a low-flow short head. It allows the aeration of the water which helps reduce water usage. Unlike low-flow shower heads though, standalone faucet aerators are available and can connect onto existing faucets very easily. Aerators can also help prevent splashing water, quiet down noisy faucets, and prevent slight filtration of some debris, although their primary function is to help conserve water usage.
