Tips > Plumbing Tips

9. Install low pressure shower heads to cut down on water usage. Water saving shower heads have a flow rate of 2.5 gallons/minute, compared to 8-10 gallons per minute for older heads. This will save 60 to 75 gallons in a 10 minute shower. Not to mention the cost of energy to heat that water.
10. You can avoid those rainy day basement floods by checking your sump pump to make sure it is working. Simply dump a 5 gallon bucket of water or so into the pit to trigger the pump to see if the pump removes the water. Make sure pit is free from trash and debris.
11. Frozen pipes can be a real problem in the winter. Make sure to leave the cabinet doors open on fixtures that have a tendency to freeze on cold nights. You can also let the water drip during these times, because moving water will not freeze.