Shopping for a New Toilet? Use Our Tips

Head down to your local home improvement store and you'll find loads of different toilets to choose from. The question is: Which is best for you and your family? It can be a tough choice, so allow us to give you a few quick tips to help you decide:

Save Water with Dual-Flush

We all know that not every use of a toilet is the same. That's why dual-flush models are perfect for those who want to save water by providing separate handles — a full flush for solids and a half-flush for liquids.

Save Money with Low-Flow

Although some homeowners have avoided low-flow in the past because of the need for multiple flushes from time to time, newer models aren't plagued by this problem. Pick up a low-flow model and your water usage bills will drop.

Consider a Taller Model

Toilets may not be constructed to the most comfortable seats in the world, but taller models provide an extra amount of comfort to their users. This is especially true for tall men and women, in addition to the elderly, who may have trouble getting up and down from a traditional model.

Check the Reviews

Selecting the right toilet for your home shouldn't be taken lightly. To ensure that you make the best purchase possible, it's important to check out reviews. This isn't a choice you'll make through a site like Yelp. Instead, head over to Consumer Reports for the low-down on the low-flow (and others, of course).

Defy Gravity

Were you aware that certain toilets can be attached to your wall instead of sitting on the floor? These models are extremely sturdy and are amazingly simple to clean, because they lack all the nooks and crannies found in many traditional models. Just be aware that, as you might expect, a wall-hung toilet will be more expensive.

If you're looking for a new toilet, these tips will serve as a great starting point. For even more information, feel free to reach out to the professionals at Air Assurance. We currently service the HVAC needs of Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about toilets and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name/Shutterstock”

Showerheads That Save Water

Saving water in your household can be a win-win from two standpoints. You'll save money on your monthly water bill and you'll save a precious natural resource, water.

Saving water is not as difficult as one might think, especially with the help of new technology that allows for reduced flow in showerheads and other water fixtures, while still allowing for what seems like a high-pressure spray. Fortunately, the federal government runs a program that's intended to help American consumers and businesses save water.

Called WaterSense, among other things this program certifies plumbing fixtures that save more than a benchmark minimum of water.Your water-saving efforts can start in the shower. First of all, when deciding between a bath and a shower, go with the shower. That will save substantial water right from the get-go. Then, once you're in the shower, don't stay there any longer than it takes to wash your body. (Again, this isn't only in pursuit of the altruistic goal of conserving water; you're saving money, too.)

Then, replace old-style showerheads with modern WaterSense-certified low-flow showerheads. These fixtures spray under 2 gallons per minute, while still providing plenty of water pressure (as long as your home has sufficient water pressure from outside). That's a big improvement over standard showers that spray 2.5 gallons or more per minute.You can save plenty of water with your home's toilets, too.

WaterSense-certified toilets can save 20 percent or more over industry-standard toilets that consume 1.6 gallons per flush. Plus, they'll remove all the waste, preventing situations where the toilet has to be flushed twice.Bathroom faucets also provide opportunities for saving water. Current federal rules don't allow newly manufactured faucets to deliver more than 2.2 gallons of water per minute. Older faucets sprayed as much as 3-7 gallons per minute. Most low-flow brands will still supply adequate water pressure while delivering much less water.

For more information on water-efficient showerheads and other water-saving strategies for your home, please contact us at Air Assurance, providing superior plumbing and HVAC services in Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about showerheads and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name of Artist/Shutterstock”

Put Your Tankless Water Heater in One of These Spots

If you're making the switch to a tankless water heater in your home, or are planning a new home that uses tankless water heating, you'll need to decide where to put the main tankless unit. If it's installed in the wrong location, it won't heat or deliver water as efficiently, and you won't save as much energy — or dollars on your utility bills.

Unlike traditional storage-tank water heaters, a tankless water heater heats your water on demand, as you need it. There's no standby energy loss as water sits unused in a big tank. Tankless systems use either gas or electricity to instantly heat the water as soon as it receives a signal that hot water is needed (someone turning on the tap, taking a shower, running the dishwasher, etc.).

Sizing a tankless water heater is an important consideration, since in bigger households, you may need a main tankless unit, along with one or more point-of-use units located near remote or special water-demand locations.

Where Should a Whole-House Tankless Unit Go?

In most homes, the best place is near the main demand source, such as a main bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room. The closer to the demand, the less distance the water has to travel after it's been heated. It will be hotter and will arrive quicker. In addition, less standing cold water will need to be purged from the supply line, and less hot water will be left in the line after the demand ends. In many homes, a hallway bathroom is positioned relatively close to a master bathroom, so installing a tankless water heater in this area would make sense.

However, you'll also want to consider where hot and cold water lines are located; and if you're opting for a gas-fired tankless system, where the gas lines and vents are located. Usually, the venting will need to be modified to accommodate the tankless unit.

For more information on tankless water heating in your Oklahoma home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Accurate shot/Shutterstock”

How to Lower Your Water Bill with Water-Efficient Plumbing Fixtures

Ready to lower your water bill? If you switch to water-efficient plumbing, it’s not as impossible as it sounds, regardless of how many people are in your family or how many showers they take daily. It is possible to save money on your water bill by following these tips about installing water-efficient plumbing.

Tip #1: Switch to WaterSense

WaterSense is a partnership program of The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to decrease water usage in the U.S. by promoting water efficiency. All brands of plumbing fixtures are eligible to qualify for this label but they must meet certain standards. Any time you see the WaterSense label on products you can be sure that the product:

• Performs as well or better than current models

• Is 20 percent more efficient

• Saves water

Tip #2: Use Water-Efficient Toilets

What uses the most water in your home? Your toilet. You can save almost 13,000 gallons of water by installing a new toilet that has the WaterSense label. If every home in the U.S. used these water-efficient toilets, water usage in the U.S. would decrease greatly.

Tip #3: Use Water-Efficient Bathroom Faucets

In 1992, bathroom faucets used three to seven gallons per minute (gpm). Now, new WaterSense faucets use an average of 2.2 gpm. Combine that average amount with an estimated 17 million bathroom faucets sold, and that’s a lot of water being saved. This is not only good for your budget, but good for the environment too.

Tip #4: Use Water-Efficient Showerheads

You want to save on your water bill, but nobody wants to take a shower with just a trickle of water. That won't happen with water-efficient showerheads. You're guaranteed to have an equal or better shower experience with a WaterSense labeled product. So, you can save gallons of water each year and still have a great shower.

Get Started Lowering Your Water Bill

If you would like to get started lowering your water bill, call Air Assurance. We’ll show you the best water efficient plumbing products that can save you the most money.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “milo827/Shutterstock”