Faucet Aerator
Water
saving bathroom and kitchen aerators
 Faucet aerators
effortlessly save water, and water
conservation means home energy savings.
Bathroom and kitchen
aerators are
simple screw in attachments with wire screens that mix air into the
water flow.
When first introduced the
initial purpose was to simply
reduce the flow rate or water stream in order to eliminate sink
splashing.
With
the rising interest in water conservation, energy savings minded
homeowners and
businesses alike are becoming more interested in the water saving
potential of
faucet aerators.
In fact bathroom and
kitchen aerators dont just save water;
they also reduce the natural gas and electricity cost involved with
water
heating. Aerators coupled
with water
saving
shower heads can
reduce the average homes hot water usage by as much as 50%.
Both water
saving
devices are incredibly inexpensive and very easy to install.
Take a
look at your faucets
Low flow aerators can be
added to just about any standard
faucet. Check the tips of your faucets to see if there are threads
along the
inside. Even many older bathroom and kitchen sink faucets are pre
threaded.
If aerators are already
present then remove them by hand or
with a wrench. The flow rate (which is measured in gallons per minute
or gpm)
should be imprinted along the side. Newer faucet aerators can
significantly reduced
flow rates even further than older models and all without reducing the
water
pressure.
Kitchen
aerators
Kitchen faucets generally
demand higher flow rates than
bathroom faucets. So using a water saving aerator with a minimum flow
rate of
1.5 gpm is highly recommended. However kitchen faucets without aerators
can use
as much as 3 to 5 gallons of water per minute.
New swivel aerators have
pivots. This allows for a circular
or rotating movement which comes in handy when cleaning kitchen sinks.
Those
who wash dishes by hand may find a swivel aerator with a shut off valve
even
more ideal.
Bathroom
aerators
Bathroom aerators usually
are chrome plated or brass. They
provide a more projected and pressurized spray than most kitchen
aerators. And
bathroom aerators generally cost even less, ranging anywhere from $2 to
$5
each.
Bathroom faucets without
these attachments can use anywhere
from 2 to 4 gallons of water per minute. New low flow bathroom aerators
use as
little as 1 to .5 gallons per minute and all without reducing water
pressure.
Don't
forget to clean them
The wire screens can get
clogged with sediments and other
mineral deposits after months or years of constant use. Periodically
remove and
clean them. This will resolve potential water pressure problems as well
as
prevent future faucet leaks.
|
