Conserving water in your home................

[MLazar]

We're often sharing ways on Wamas to use the waste water from RO/DI units instead of letting it go down the drain, literally. Som folks are using it for lawn irrigation and my personal favorite is to use it to do laundry.

 

Whether your using an RO/DI unit or not, I read an article in Sunday's paper that suggested the following method to reduce water used in each individual toilet flush by 1 - 2 gallons, helping with anyone's water bill. (This is for non-low-flow toilets which already save water).

 

Take a plastic water bottle, fill it with water, recap it and place it in the tank. It does not specify the size of the water bottle, but I'm trying a 24oz.

 

I have concerns that if it floats around too much it could interfere with the actual function of the shut off valve inside the tank, but so far no problems.

 

My daughter mentioned that they've discussed this in their science class, but the teacher recommened using pebbles or sand so the floating issue would be solved.

 

Just an idea I wanted to share.

 

Maureen

[Bob]

A brick in the tank works too.....

Bob

[MLazar]

A brick in the tank works too.....

Bob

 

 

Bob,

 

Do you know how approximately how much water you save with a brick? Seems like a water bottle would be about the same size.

 

I just think an estimate of 1 - 2 gallons sounds too good to be true.

 

Maureen

Edited March 23, 2009 by MLazar

[ctenophore]

So would about 500 aragocrete coral plugs that need to be cured

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Bob,

 

Do you know how approximately how much water you save with a brick? Seems like a water bottle would be about the same size.

 

I just think an estimate of 1 - 2 gallons sounds too good to be true.

 

Maureen

 

 

I would think you would "save" the amount of water the brick displaces (about a quart).

 

You only save the water if you don't need to flush twice (in which case you have lost a lot of water in the bargain).

 

tim

[SkiCurtis]

So would about 500 aragocrete coral plugs that need to be cured

good one!

[L8 2 RISE]

We use milk jug things in all of our toilets, its big enough that it wont cause trouble from floating because its either jammed in too tight to move, or tall enough that it touches the bottom. Saves a gallon per flush....

[reefmontalvo]

I installed Quiet Flo bowl floats. I already run 1 gallon flush toilets. Cut down on the fill noise pluse they use around 20% less water to operate.

[CHUBAKAH]

Pretty interesting. Curious why they wouldn't suggest to just adjust the float valve to fill the tank less?

 

Sounds like a flood just waiting to happen.

 

:2cents:

[Antiguan]

Many gallons of water are wasted at my house in the mornings when each person has to wait for the "hot" water running from the faucets to get from ice cold to hot. Any tips on how to reduce this waste?

[L8 2 RISE]

Happens the same in our house, tagging along.... You could probably get some pipe insulation, however, I don't see how that will keep for over 8 hours or however long that the water is not used. If it would be possible to drain the pipes back to the water heater for the night, and then refill them in the morning, it might work, but I don't see this as a plausible solution...

[CHUBAKAH]

Many gallons of water are wasted at my house in the mornings when each person has to wait for the "hot" water running from the faucets to get from ice cold to hot. Any tips on how to reduce this waste?

 

TBH since leaving CA two years ago, I have not seen a system like this on the east coast, not once, in the over 400 homes I have been in.

 

What you do is hook up what we call a Circ line, or Hot water recirculating system.

 

Here is one for your reading enjoyment with a timer system.

http://www.redytemp.com/tanklesshotwatercirculator.php

 

Instant hot at every faucet in the home, all the time.

Edited March 24, 2009 by CHUBAKAH

[DaveS]

TBH since leaving CA two years ago, I have not seen a system like this on the east coast, not once, in the over 400 homes I have been in.

 

What you do is hook up what we call a Circ line, or Hot water recirculating system.

 

Here is one for your reading enjoyment with a timer system.

http://www.redytemp.com/tanklesshotwatercirculator.php

 

Instant hot at every faucet in the home, all the time.

 

Costco sells them. I thought about getting one but based on my understanding of how it works, while I'll have hot water sooner out of the hot side, I'll also have warmer water on the cold side. That means I'll also be wasting water trying to get the cold side cold. Maybe there is a net savings but I wasn't sure it was worth the extra hassle. Can someone help me figure out if I misunderstood something or made a bad assumption?

[CHUBAKAH]

Costco sells them. I thought about getting one but based on my understanding of how it works, while I'll have hot water sooner out of the hot side, I'll also have warmer water on the cold side.

 

Not true. The circ line is only in a loop with the hot water. Think of it as a closed loop system that is only recirculating through your hot water heater.

 

You set your timer so it only starts running around the time you want to take showers, kind of like a programmable thermostat for your home now a days.

Edited March 24, 2009 by CHUBAKAH

[Antiguan]

TBH since leaving CA two years ago, I have not seen a system like this on the east coast, not once, in the over 400 homes I have been in.

 

What you do is hook up what we call a Circ line, or Hot water recirculating system.

 

Here is one for your reading enjoyment with a timer system.

http://www.redytemp.com/tanklesshotwatercirculator.php

 

Instant hot at every faucet in the home, all the time.

 

Thank you very much.

[ctenophore]

TBH since leaving CA two years ago, I have not seen a system like this on the east coast, not once, in the over 400 homes I have been in.

 

What you do is hook up what we call a Circ line, or Hot water recirculating system.

 

Here is one for your reading enjoyment with a timer system.

http://www.redytemp.com/tanklesshotwatercirculator.php

 

Instant hot at every faucet in the home, all the time.

Two of my friends in FL have these, they claim that they work well

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Two of my friends in FL have these, they claim that they work well

 

It seems like it would work well, but remember nothing is free.

 

Instead of wasting some water waiting for it to get cold, you are now using more energy, both to pump the water in a loop, and more water heating, since you will lose more heat radiating from the hot water all through the pipes in the house. Water is a lot cheaper than energy, in the end I wouldn't be surprised if your total bill increases.

 

tim

[ctenophore]

It seems like it would work well, but remember nothing is free.

 

Instead of wasting some water waiting for it to get cold, you are now using more energy, both to pump the water in a loop, and more water heating, since you will lose more heat radiating from the hot water all through the pipes in the house. Water is a lot cheaper than energy, in the end I wouldn't be surprised if your total bill increases.

 

tim

Don't worry, the laws of thermodynamics are being obeyed

It is a net gain in water and energy savings, however there is still a several year ROI due to the initial equipment cost. Much like PV solar, which he also uses.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Don't worry, the laws of thermodynamics are being obeyed

 

Whew.

 

It is a net gain in water and energy savings, however there is still a several year ROI due to the initial equipment cost. Much like PV solar, which he also uses.

 

Hm...I can see gain for water, but loss for energy, since heat put into heating the water will be lost due to all the surface area and circulation through the pipes.

 

Probably a pretty small amount, surely enormously eclipsed as you noted by the ROI of the equipment cost, but I have a hard time seeing a net gain (it reminds me of when Calfo said you got a net PAR gain from putting egg crate over your tank).

 

Any actual numbers or is just a gut feel? Seems like hard data would be rather hard to come by for something like this. Especially since water and electricity rates are critical and variable. Also how often the faucets are turned on (and you gain water savings) is important. It couldn't possibly be a net gain for everyone, but maybe with a large family and a lot of on/off of the faucets...

 

tim

[ctenophore]

Whew.

 

 

 

Hm...I can see gain for water, but loss for energy, since heat put into heating the water will be lost due to all the surface area and circulation through the pipes.

 

Probably a pretty small amount, surely enormously eclipsed as you noted by the ROI of the equipment cost, but I have a hard time seeing a net gain (it reminds me of when Calfo said you got a net PAR gain from putting egg crate over your tank).

 

Any actual numbers or is just a gut feel? Seems like hard data would be rather hard to come by for something like this. Especially since water and electricity rates are critical and variable. Also how often the faucets are turned on (and you gain water savings) is important. It couldn't possibly be a net gain for everyone, but maybe with a large family and a lot of on/off of the faucets...

 

tim

I don't have their actual numbers myself, but I was told that both systems were definitely saving money. Whether that is based on actual numbers or a gut feel I don't know, but they aren't idiots, so I tend to trust the info. One system is in a net zero house using a well, so yes that is hard to analyze but the reference to the system saving money is probably based off the old house's (on the same property) water/electrical consumption.