4 min read
Water Conservation Ways: 4 Ways Landlords Can Save Water
David Schwartz Oct 6, 2021 5:27:28 PM
Landlords are always looking for ways to save, especially when it comes to water. Not only is water conservation good for the environment, but it's good for our wallets too.
Landlords often face the challenge of ensuring that their properties are regularly monitored for leaks, which can become a major problem if not dealt with quickly. The last thing any landlord wants to hear is that a small leak to turned into a giant plumbing disaster (facts everyone should know).
With so many products on today's market, it is now easier than ever before to find products and solutions to save and monitor water consumption.
Below are 4 ways that landlords can save water (and money).
1. Use Flow Controllers (instead of Low Flow Shower Heads)
2. Use Leak Detection Equipment
3. Install Toilet Leak Detection Devices
4. Eliminate Water Meter Inaccuracies
01. Use Flow Controllers
(instead of Low Flow Shower Heads)
Low Flow Shower Heads
Showering accounts for nearly 17% of water use in homes and because of this, government organizations nationwide have begun to call for stricter regulations on shower heads.
It used to not be uncommon to find shower heads that produced 5 to 8 gallons of water per minute. Today, the standard rate for low-flow shower heads is set at 2.5 gallons per minute - although many showers still flow at 4 gallons per minute.
Installing low-flow fixtures works... if these are able to do what they were designed for.
In most cases, tenants end up replacing or tampering with the fixtures, trying to get the water flow back to their desired level. This has caused many landlords to invest and install low-flow fixtures, but unfortunately see little to no changes in their water expenses.
Shower Flow Controllers
Flow controlling systems are designed to regulate flow rates, so water isn't wasted - A good example of one is The Water Scrooge™. The Water Scrooge™'s shower flow controller system goes behind the shower wall, out of sight and out of reach of your tenants.
Shower flow controllers regulate the flow of water by decreasing the amount used each shower tenants take, and compensate for any pressure variations in the line with an O ring inside the regulator.
The O ring expands and lets more water go through if pressure is low, or vise versa; it will contract to let less water flow through if the water pressure is high. This ensures a consistent, steady pressure in the shower. Your tenants won't even notice the difference!
02. Use Leak Detection Equipment
The truth of the matter is that leaks are always occurring, even for the most hands-on, vigilant landlords. Being that leaks are spontaneous and impossible to predict, finding leaks before they cause major damage is vital and now easier than ever before.
Basic leak detectors are battery-operated discs or small square boxes that can easily be installed and placed on the floor where you could suspect a possible water leak. These devices work by sending an electronic signal when they come in contact with liquid and then sends a notification to your phone.
Unfortunately, not all leak detectors are created equal and there’s always the possibility that leaking water will not be detected in an area where a sensor isn't located.
A great, well-engineered solution that is revolutionizing the leak detector market is the Water Scrooge™ Leak Detection System. The Water Scrooge™ Leak Detection System has an ultrasound sensor that is clamped to the building's water risers and communicates to the system's hub, transmitting the data collected from the sensors to your smartphone in real time.
The Water Scrooge™ Leak Detection System doesn't even require a plumber, making it super easy for landlord's to install. Once the system is clamped on the riser, you can sync it with an app to get a bird’s eye view of all the water fixtures in your building.
03. Install Toilet Leak Detection Devices
A leaking toilet is the most common cause of a water bill that has gotten out of control. Most toilets will leak without any obvious signs of trouble, making a leaking toilet problematic for all landlords.
Of course, tenants will notice if there is water around the base of their toilet, but there are other signs of a leak that most tenants will not report. Sometimes tenants just aren't personally bothered by them (they're not footing the bill). But more often than not, they’re simply completely unaware of the leak’s existence.
The Toilet Scrooge™ leak prevention device actually prevents toilet leaks, instead of just detecting them, (unlike other leak detection solutions in the market). The Toilet Scrooge™ device uses a motion sensor that activates when a user is present. The sensor tells the valve when to open, allowing water to flow to the toilet. After the user leaves, the valve closes, which prevents water from continuing to flow to the toilet!
View our latest Toilet Scrooge Case Study!
04. Eliminate Water Meter Inaccuracies
It’s a simple fact that along with the volume of water passing through your water meter, is also volume of air. The volume of that air will vary as the water pressure fluctuates between static and dynamic pressure. The problem is that over 99% of water meters measure by volume, regardless if that volume is liquid or gas.
Metering inaccuracies, probably by far, have the most potential for lost water in measuring and recording flow. These losses can occur from billing errors, inaccurate meters and improper meter settings – which all lead to water meter inaccuracy.
Beyond the normal wear and tear of water meters, whether mechanical or electrical, causing meters to not correctly measure or record consumption, meters also cannot tell the difference between the volume of water and air.
The most common method used to measure water consumption is known as Positive Displacement. This method is not limited to water, measuring the total volume of both water and air - meaning that you are getting charged for any volume of air that is at all present in your water supply!
The Water Scrooge™ water flow management device can correct inaccuracies with SMART VALVE’s™ Variable Flow Control process, which eliminates water meter inaccuracy and excessive water consumption.
The SMART VALVE™ is designed to compress air, completely eliminating the volume of air before it reaches the water meter.
Scrooge Savings Solutions
The next time you receive your monthly water bill, consider these water conservation tips. Whether you're looking to save money or protect your property from a catastrophe, there are plenty of ways that you can conserve water without making major changes to your units with Water Scrooge™'s innovative and non-invasive technology!
Learn more about how much money you really can save with our water savings solutions, including our new Water Consulting services.