Len the Plumber’s Guide to Smart Technology that Will Save Money on Your Utility Bill

Smart technology in the home is starting to become a norm. People are implementing all sorts of smart tech to reduce utility usage to save money and the environment. However, many people focus on tech that saves money on heating and cooling, overlooking the smart technology that is available for lowering water usage.

Thankfully, several in-home tech products will save you money on your water bills and help the environment at the same time!

How Much Water Does Your Household Use?

Though usage varies based on location, the average U.S. household uses about 90 gallons of water every day. Most of that water goes right down the toilet – literally. Toilet flushing and showers are the two biggest culprits when it comes to wasting water, and dishwashers, washing machines and outdoor watering are right behind them. Check out this chart to figure out how much water the average American household uses each year and how much it costs (tap water costs about $0.004 per gallon).

Appliance	Average Gallons Used Each Time	Average Cost Per Use
Bath	36 gallons	$0.14
Shower (10 Minutes) with ordinary shower head	50 gallons	$0.20
Shower (10 Minutes) with water-saving showerhead	20 gallons	$0.08
Dishwasher (non-ENERGY STAR)	16 gallons	$0.06
Dishwasher (ENERGY STAR)	6 gallons	$0.02
Toilet Flush (Regular)	3 gallons	$0.01
Toilet Flush (low-flow)	1.6 gallons	Less than $.01
Outdoor watering (30 minutes)	60 gallons	$0.24

Other than cutting down on water consumption by doing fewer loads of laundry and taking shorter showers, there are a few devices you can add to your home to drastically reduce your water consumption.

Laundry

• Energy-efficient washers: Though energy-efficient washers aren’t technically “smart washers”, they are certainly a smart purchase decision. Typically, an ENERGY STAR washing machine uses 25 percent less electricity than its non-eco-friendly counterparts do, and close to 50 percent less water! If you wash your clothes in cold water, you’ll save even more.

Average Savings: Between $75 and $125 per year

 

Showers and Faucets

• High-efficiency faucet aerator: You can cut your water consumption in half by installing a high-efficiency faucet aerator in your shower and on your taps. Because they add air, you won’t suffer a loss in pressure.
• Smart home water meter: Smart home water meters don’t directly save you money, but by installing one you can see just how much water you’re using around the house, as well as how you’re using it. You’ll be able to keep tabs on how much goes to laundry, lawn irrigation and other applications in your home, and you can create a “signature” for each appliance to get a better understanding of where you can cut back and prevent your budget from drying up.

Average Savings: About $100 per year

 

Toilets

• Smart toilets: Smart toilets are a great investment for two reasons. First, they can help you save water, and second, they can eliminate toilet paper waste. The EPA states that toilets labeled with WaterSense labels can reduce water usage by 20-60% and save around 13,000 gallons of water per year. 

Average Savings: About $100 per year

 

What Smart Tech Do You Depend On?

Utility bills can get expensive, so savvy homeowners are using all kinds of smart tech to save cash, while also helping the environment. We’d love to hear about the technology you can’t live without, so share your story in the comments!

Original article from Redfin

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