January 3rd, 2010:
Thanks to innovative new technology, today’s super-efficient low-flow showerheads save water, reduce your energy bills, and still feel good to use.
| Save Money | Med $150/yr off water heating |
|---|---|
| Effort | Low 10 mins to 1 hr to install |
| Investment | Low $50 to $200 |
You’ve heard it for years: Save water by replacing your old showerhead with a low-flow model. But if you’re like a lot of people, you may have ignored the message. That’s because you’re likely thinking of the early low-flow versions, which worked by simply restricting output or pumping the stream full of air. While that saved water, it didn’t make for a very satisfying shower experience. These days, thank goodness, it’s different. With one of the new generation of ultra-efficient showerheads, you can reduce shower water use—and energy consumption, since we’re talking about water you pay to heat—by up to 50% while still enjoying a luxurious, powerful spray.
New technologies, bigger savings
Before 1992, showerheads pumped out five or more gallons per minute (gpm), accounting for nearly 20% of indoor water use. Federal law cut that to 2.5 gallons, but the latest water-saving models do better still. Borrowing windshield-sprayer technology from the automotive industry, Delta’s H2Okinetic Technology manipulates droplet size and direction to make only 1.6 gpm feel drenching. That’s a 36% reduction over a standard low-flow showerhead. Bricor uses a patented vacuum chamber that aerates and compacts water under pressure to deliver an intense blast with 1.25 gpm or less. Other manufacturers use laminar flow, which puts out dozens of parallel streams instead of an aerated spray, creating the sensation of more water. The type you choose depends on personal preference, but at $50 to $200, any of these can quickly pay for themselves in reduced water-heating costs. You may even be able to score one for free with a rebate through your local utility.
To measure your shower’s flow, put a bucket marked in gallon increments under the spray. If the water reaches the one-gallon mark in less than 20 seconds, you could benefit from a low-flow showerhead.
First, check your plumbing
While replacing your existing showerhead with one of these super-high-efficiency models can be as easy as screwing in a light bulb, it’s a good idea to first assess your plumbing. The big concern is the potential for scalding or getting hit with an icy blast. Because less water is flowing through the showerhead, sudden fluctuations in temperature can be more extreme.
Homes built after the mid-1990s usually have an automatic temperature compensating (ATC) valve installed as part of the shower plumbing inside the wall. These protect against rapid changes in temperature—say when the dishwasher cycles or a maniacal sibling keeps flushing the toilet. Quick check: If your shower has an old two-handle faucet, chances are it does not have an ATC valve. (Neither do most new two-handle systems.) In that case, simply sticking on a low-flow showerhead to save water is a bad idea. “The only appropriate way to retrofit a shower with a two-handle faucet is to eliminate the outdated faucet and install a new valve and showerhead,” says Shawn Martin, technical director of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute. 
Even then, you can’t be absolutely certain that the valve will work properly with an ultra-low-flow showerhead. That’s because most ATC valves are certified for the current standard flow rate of 2.5 gpm. While it’s expected that soon all new valves will be certified to 2.0 gpm, your best bet, if you’re installing a new valve and showerhead now, is to buy them from the same manufacturer so you’ll know they’re designed to work together.
By early 2010, the EPA plans to start putting WaterSense labels on showerheads the way they have for toilets. Then it will be easier to identify the models that offer the biggest water savings and the best performance.
Other ways to pump up shower efficiency
In addition to offering low-flow nozzles, manufacturers have come up with other ways to make showering more efficient. Neco, an Australian company that 
specializes in sustainable products, has a thumb-adjusted volume control on its Rainmaker head. A few high-end models feature “pause” buttons that let you to stop and restart the water at the same temperature—perfect for taking a Navy shower. That’s when you wet yourself down, turn off the water while you lather up, and then turn it back on to rinse. Common practice on naval ships, where fresh water supplies are limited, this technique uses as little as 3 gallons, compared with the typical “Hollywood shower” that uses 60 gallons every 10 minutes. That amounts to a savings of 15,000 gallons a year per person.
Of course, the danger of all these new low-flow showerheads is that you’ll be tempted to linger too long in your own private Niagara. Several companies have come out with shower timers to nudge habitual drenchers. The Shower Manager cuts the taps when time’s up, and Eco Drop Shower, a stall unit by Italian designer Tommaso Colia, purports to save water not from the top down but from the bottom up. As you shower, a pattern of concentric circles embedded in the floor rises up to the point of discomfort, forcing you to exit. Just make sure to turn off the water first.
Laura Fisher Kaiser is a contributing editor to Interior Design magazine and a former editor at This Old House Magazine. A Navy brat, she feels guilty for not taking Navy showers.
Federal Appliance Rebates Launch
SAN FRANCISCO—Next year may be to appliance buyers what 2009 was to car buyers: time for government rebates.
Modeled after the popular Cash for Clunkers program, which was intended to get cars with low gas mileage off the road, a federal appliance rebate program is launching in early 2010. It offers a boost to people buying energy-efficient clothes washers, refrigerators and other appliances—those that qualify for the federal “Energy Star” designation—and to manufacturers, whose sales fell 10% in 2008 and another 12% through mid-December this year.
The program has only $300 million, one-tenth as much money as Cash for Clunkers, or about $1 per U.S resident, so it could run out fast. States are receiving roughly the same amount per capita, with California getting the most at $35.2 million, but what’s eligible varies by state.
Here’s what to keep in mind as you decide whether to swap your washer for that supposedly whisper-quiet model or your old white refrigerator for a shapely stainless-steel number.
What’s my state offering?
For state by state information, visit the federal website http://energysavers.gov and click on “state appliance rebate program” on the right.
California residents, for example, can get cash back on three types of appliances: $100 for washing machines, $75 for refrigerators and $50 for room air conditioners. Wisconsin offers rebates on washers and fridges plus $200 for boilers or furnaces, $75 for central air conditioning or geothermal heat pumps, $50 for freezers and $25 for dishwashers.
(Also in effect through Dec. 31, 2010, is a federal tax credit for 30% of the cost up to $1,500 on equipment for a primary residence.)
How do I know it’s a deal?
Joe McGuire, president of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, said buying Energy Star appliances can mean hearty power savings. But it’s important to make sure you save enough in water and energy bills over time to justify paying for a new unit.
“A good example is a 10-year-old clothes washer,” he said. “With Energy Star, you could reduce utility costs by $145 a year and save 5,000 gallons of water a year.”
At that rate, a typical $500 to $700 dishwasher would pay for itself in four years. In larger households that use more power and water for laundry, the payoff can come much sooner.
It’s probably not worth replacing appliances less than five to seven years old just because rebates are available, unless you plan to upgrade to a far more efficient model. That’s because newer appliances are already more efficient. But switching from a top-loading to front-loading clothes washer could in itself cut water use enough to make a purchase worthwhile.
The older the appliance, the greater the possibility of saving money by buying a new one. McGuire says a 20-year-old refrigerator uses three times as much power as Energy Star-approved units made today, some of which run on less than 60 watts.
“You would save over $250 a year on an average 20-year-old refrigerator if you replaced it,” McGuire said. “That’s about $1,200 over five years. That is real savings to consumers.”
The Department of Energy estimates Americans saved more than $19 billion on utilities last year using Energy Star products.
When will it end?
Rebates will be available until February 2012 or the money’s gone. And Jen Stutsman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Energy, expects the funds to run out fast.
Source: Associated Press/AP Online
Research comparison: Old Town vs. Crystal City
Want to compare Old Town to Crystal City? I can tell you there are huge differences in the lifestyles, the types of homes and the commutes in these two neighboring villages. But I can’t really quantify that information. Fortunately, I don’t have to. Our site has a great tool for researching and comparing neighborhoods, with information about schools, education, incomes, age of homes and more.
In the meantime, over the next few days I expect to run a few reports and publish them to give you an idea of what you can learn about neighborhoods of Northern Virginia. By the way, what’s nice about this system is that you can use it to compare any neighborhoods in North America. See how Lansing stacks up to Fairfax, or how Falls Church does vs. Peoria. The research engine is here.
22202 (Crystal City)
22314 (Old Town)
This is just one of many stats that you can research and compare on our site, and this one alone is quite telling on the neighborhoods of Crystal City and Old Town. Crystal City is 22202 and Old Town (plus the Carlyle District) is 22314.
22202 (Crystal City)
22314 (Old Town)
This statistic actually doesn’t give Old Town Alexandria its full historical range. Many homes in Old Town are older than 80 years of age. But Old Town has a suprising number of new homes as well. Crystal City is definitely younger.
22314 (Old Town)
22314 (Old Town)
22202 (Crystal City)
22202 (Crystal City)
Crystal City and Old Town are both leaders in household income, though perhaps Old Town is a bit more affluent. (Perhaps this is why there are more owners in Old Town?)
