Thinking Green for St. Patrick's Day!

Roto-Rooter reaches more customers than any other plumbing repair company in the U.S. and Canada so we believe our conservation efforts can influence and inform a great number people in a short period of time. We can have an immediate impact on water usage by making existing toilets, sinks and showers as efficient as they can be, and when new fixtures are required, we recommend those that meet or exceed the EPA's WaterSense standards.

We're making smarter choices and we invite our customers to do the same. Roto-Rooter compared its standard replacement plumbing parts and fixtures with the latest water-saving parts. Wherever possible, we replaced our inventory of parts with "green" ones that use less water without sacrificing quality, durability or customer comfort. In almost every case, the green parts cost the same or less than our old parts and that means our customers won't pay more to go green!

Looking to Conserve Water? Check out these Conservation and Plumbing Tips

Water conservation is extremely important. Here are some ways you can do your part:

• Don't use excessive amounts of detergents, bleach or chemicals that may kill the natural bacteria in your septic system.

• Use biodegradable soaps and detergents.

• To prevent excessive watering of your lawn in the summertime, purchase an inexpensive spring-loaded timer which attaches directly to your outside faucet. This will prevent overwatering in case you forget to shut off the sprinkler.

• Water pressure in your home above 60 pounds per square inch is harmful to your plumbing system and will cause excessive water usage. Contact your local water authority to find out what the water pressure is on your street. If it exceeds 60 pounds, consider installing a pressure reducing valve that will limit the water pressure within your home.

• Check your water meter during a period of time when no water is being used. Make a note of the meter reading and check it 8 to 10 hours later. If the meter has moved, there is an indication that you may have an undetected water leak, which should be corrected.

• Leaky toilets consume more than 40% of your total water usage. Installation of a new toilet flapper and fill valve will keep your toilet running efficiently.

• Conserve energy by checking the temperature setting on your water heater. It should not be above 120°F or medium setting on older models.

• Replacing an old shower head can save up to 7.5 gallons of water per minute without sacrificing full spray action at low or high water pressures.

• A leaky faucet that drips once per second can waste more than 8 gallons a day. That's 3,000 gallons per year!