How To Save Water in the Bathroom

Even though 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water, less than 1% is suitable for consumption. With the earth's population continuing to rise, it is critical that we get smarter about how we use our supply of potable water. The good news is that we all can make a difference just by making a few small changes to our daily habits.

Everyday Environmentalism

When it comes to saving water in the bathroom, a few small steps can make a big difference. Consider these tips for reducing your water consumption every day

1. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, and rinse out the sink when you're finished.


2. Capture shower/bath water while waiting for water to change temperatures: This excess water can be used for watering plants.


3. Don't wait for the water to get hot before filling the tub for a bath. Put in the plug and adjust the water temperature as the tub fills.


4. Do not use the toilet as a garbage can: Only flush the toilet when disposing of sanitary waste.


5. Turn off the water while shaving: Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor.

The Water Saving Tips are brought to you by our Featured WaterSense manufacturer KOHLER. The EPA named KOHLER faucets as the 2009 EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year for their efforts in designing and producing faucets, toilets and showers to save water.

With KOHLER, saving water is easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Install High-Efficiency Toilets
KOHLER® Toilets that flush 1.28 gallons or less, when compared to a 3.5-gallon toilet, can save homeowners up to 16,500 gallons of water per fixture per year.

** Based on average usage of a household of four.

2. Use Water-Conserving Showerheads or Handshowers
KOHLER 1.75 gpm water-conserving showerheads and handshowers deliver an impressive 35% water savings over traditional 2.75 gpm showerheads and handshowers. This is for an average family of four taking approximately seven-minute showers. In other words, you save over 7,700 gallons of water per year. Because part of the Kohler mission is to provide a singular level of quality across all our products, you can depend on KOHLER water-saving products to deliver outstanding performance and beautiful design.

3. Choose Faucets with Water-Saving Aerators
Small in size, big on impact, KOHLER faucets with low-flow aerators deliver up to 45% water savings over traditional 2.75 gpm faucets.

KOHLER WINS EPA WATERSENSE PARTNER OF THE YEAR

Efforts to promote the WaterSense program underscore Kohler’s commitment to water conservation

Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath design and technology, was chosen by the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program as the Manufacturing Partner of the Year for the second time in as many years as the award has been in existence.

“Kohler is honored to be recognized by the EPA for the company’s efforts promoting the WaterSense program. And, we are extremely proud to be the first and only two-time recipient of this significant award for water efficiency,” said David Kohler, president and COO for Kohler Co. “Kohler has a large stake in the availability of clean, safe water. Because water is integral to the very function of our products, and to the experience of those who use our products, our company has an implicit responsibility to raise the public awareness about how to use water more efficiently.”

EPA launched the WaterSense Awards program in 2008, honoring work performed during 2007. Kohler received the inaugural award in 2008. The Partner of the Year awards recognize WaterSense partners who help advance the overall mission of WaterSense; increase awareness of the WaterSense program in a measurable way; and demonstrate overall excellence in the water-efficiency arena.

Kohler prominently displays the WaterSense logo in product literature, on its Web site, at trade shows and regularly conducts continuing education courses on water efficiency.

Moreover, the company’s spokesperson, Ed Del Grande of Ed the Plumber on the DIY Network, tours the United States talking about high-efficiency toilets, conducting interviews on reducing water use, and promoting WaterSense for audiences at national trade shows.

In August 2007, Kohler signed on as a Presenting Sponsor of the new IMAX film, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, from MacGillivray-Freeman Films. The film, released in March 2008, speaks powerfully about how civilization is impacting the Colorado River, and what can be done to reduce our use of water. Kohler hosted more than 30 IMAX events around the country throughout 2008, and invited guests to view the movie and learn about the water-conserving products from Kohler. This sponsorship of the movie signaled a massive effort by Kohler to promote the message of water-conservation and WaterSense directly to homeowners. Tens of thousands of homeowners were introduced to the WaterSense program via these events, and more than 90 million media impressions were garnered about the film.

Kohler built upon its successful support of WaterSense in 2007, and into 2008 introduced new programs, products, media opportunities and promoted the company’s recognition of the inaugural EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year Award. During 2008, Kohler worked to convert all of its lavatory faucets to adhere to the WaterSense guidelines, with full conversion completed in the first quarter of 2009.

SaveWaterAmerica.com – a viral site devoted to water conservation – was developed by Kohler in 2008, and officially launched in January 2009. The viral site educates homeowners about WaterSense plumbing products, and provides useful information to reduce their water consumption.

WaterSense, the EPA’s voluntary public-private partnership program, seeks to protect the future of the nation’s water supply by promoting water efficiency and enhancing the market for water-efficient products, programs and practices. Plumbing fixtures and faucets that qualify for the WaterSense label assure consumers of actual water savings and strict performance standards.

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wis., Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies. Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath faucets, sinks, engines and power generation systems, cabinetry, tile and home interiors, and an international host to award-winning hospitality and world-class golf destinations.

Kohler Sinks and Kohler faucets are some of the best and most popular products made in the industry according to eFaucets, the online leader in Faucets, Sinks and Fixtures online.

How To Save Water in The Kitchen

With about 75 percent of the Earth covered in water, it’s easy to assume that we’ll never run out. People living in areas where water is scarce, however, already understand the importance of conserving this precious resource. The good news is that we can all make a difference just by making a few small changes to our daily habits.

Everyday Environmentalism

When it comes to saving water in the kitchen, a few small steps can make a big difference. Consider these tips for reducing your water consumption every day.

1. Capture running water while waiting for the temperature to change: this excess water can be used to water plants.


2. When washing dishes by hand, use as little water as possible. Use only the required amount of dish soap and put the dishes in a rack to rinse them all together and reduce rinse water. Be sure to use short bursts instead of letting the water run when rinsing. When you do use the dishwasher, use appropriate water and energy efficient settings.


3. Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. With cold drinking water on hand, you'll waste less than you would while waiting for the faucet to change temperature for each glass of water.


4. Do not defrost frozen food with running water. Use the microwave or defrost in the refrigerator.


5. When cooking, use only the amount of water required; this reduces the amount of water wasted when straining.
   
6. In the laundry room, be sure to match the water level with your load size. If your washing machine doesn't allow manual water level adjustment, wait until you have a full load before you run your machine.

The Water Saving Tips are brought to you by our Featured WaterSense partner KOHLER. The EPA named KOHLER faucets as the EPA's WaterSense Partner of the Year for 2009 for their efforts in designing products to save water.

TOUCHLESS FAUCETS

KOHLER Touchless faucets with Tripoint technology have an automatic shut-off, so water runs only when the faucet is in use. They also have highly accurate activation sensors, which conserve water by keeping false activations to a minimum. Kohler Touchless entertainment faucets with 1.5gpm aerators offer a substantial water savings over traditional 2.2 gpm faucets. And because they feature Touchless technology, these faucets save water with precise activation.

FILTERED WATER SOLUTIONS

Aquifer water filtration systems with Kohler's Wellspring® and Carafe beverage faucets are your source for refreshing, purified water.

An environmentally friendly alterntive to bottled water, Aquifer® water filtration systems combine with KOHLER beverage faucets to provide refreshingly pure drinking water. Eliminate all the hassles of home-filtered water. When you install an Aquifer water filtration system, you leave behind messy installation, meager water flow or lack of style and finish selections. Choose a lead-filtering system or a single-stage system to reduce dirt, rust and chlorine.

10 Water Saving Tips You Must Know

Water conservation starts at home, where our daily use of faucets, showerheads, dishwashers and toilets all add up to some unsightly numbers. Fortunately, you can dramatically reduce your water usage through helpful tips you can use throughout your home.

1. Replace older, less efficient toilets with 1.28-gallon High-Efficiency Toilets (HETs) to save up to 16,500 gallons of water per year. See KOHLER HET Toilets.


2. Swap out your 2.75 gpm showerhead with a 1.75 water-conserving showerhead and you can save more than 7,700 gallons of water per year.* See Water-Conserving Showerheads.* Based on an average of seven-minute for a family of four.


3. Fix leaky faucets and install faucets with water-saving aerators to effortlessly save hundreds of gallons of water per year. See KOHLER Kitchen Faucets and KOHLER Bathroom Faucets.


4. Use the appropriate water level and load size on the washing machine when doing laundry. Consider purchasing a front-load washing machine.


5. Use a broom rather than a hose to clean off driveways, steps and sidewalks.


6. Water your garden during the coolest part of the day, generally in the morning, and avoid watering on windy days.


7. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving to keep excess water from going down the drain.


8. Landscape with native or low-water plants to significantly reduce water usage outside the home.


9. Use leftover water for houseplants, instead of pouring out a half-empty glass of drinking water.


10. Make sure the dishwasher is fully loaded to maximize the dishes cleaned in a cycle.

The Water Saving Tips are brought to you by our Featured WaterSense partner KOHLER. The EPA named KOHLER as the EPA's WaterSense Partner of the Year for 2009 for their efforts in designing products to save water. Water savings start with swaping out your Kitchen Faucets and Bathroom Faucets with WaterSense Faucets. eFaucets.com is the online faucet leader.

Faucet Installation Instructions

So, you’ve selected or purchased the perfect new faucet for your home. You are now wondering whether to have a professional install it or whether you think you are capabable of installing it yourself.

It's easy if you follow the general instructions and have the proper installation tools.

If you’re ready and eager to install your own faucet, we offer these helpful hints from our Featured Partner Delta Faucet. If you have not done this before, we suggest that you read the general installation tips below. For instructions on installing your specific faucet, please follow the Maintenance and Installation instructions that were provided with your faucet.

If you are not comfortable installing your own faucet purchased online, you may want to rely upon the services of a professional plumber? The best deals on Faucets are from top online authorized dealers like eFaucets.com who offer top brands like Delta Faucets. They offer Free Same Day Shipping*, Largest Selection, Lowest Prices and Excellent Customer Service. For expert faucet installation once your faucet arrives, you should contact a licensed professional plumbing contractor in your area.

These faucet installation instructions are general instructions for both Kitchen Faucets and Bathroom Faucets.

STEP 1: POSITION THE FAUCET

• Begin installing your faucet by placing the gasket and faucet in position on the sink. (Diagram A)
• From under the sink, thread the plastic mounting nuts onto the faucet shanks. Be sure the large side of each plastic mounting nut is up. (Diagram B)
• From the top of the sink, check the faucet and gasket position. (Diagram C)
• From under the sink tighten the mounting nuts, making certain not to over-tighten which could damage the nuts and make them difficult to remove in the future. (Diagram D)

STEP 2: ATTACH THE WATER SUPPLY TUBES

• Water is typically supplied to the faucet through water-supply tubes.
• Wrap the threads of the water-supply valve with Teflon tape. Although most plumbers use only Teflon tape, some plumbing supply manufacturers also recommend using plumber’s putty. (Diagram A)
• Thread the water supply nut onto the shut-off valve. Tighten the nut with a wrench. (Diagram B)
• Wrap the threads on the faucet shank with Teflon tape, and then thread the water supply nut onto the faucet shank. (Diagram C)
• Tighten the nut with a basin wrench. (Diagram D)
  

STEP 3: CONNECT THE FAUCET LIFT ROD

• From the top of the sink, insert the lift-rod into the faucet. (Diagram A)
• From under the sink, make sure the pivot-rod is in the down position. Insert the lift-rod into the lift-rod strap. Tighten the screw.
• From the top of the sink, make sure the lift-rod opens and closes the drain plug as desired. (Diagram B)
• Make any needed adjustments by loosening the lift-rod strap screw and repositioning the lift-rod.
• If you need to connect the lift-rod strap to the pivot rod, slide one end of the spring clip onto the pivot-rod.
• Make sure that both the pivot -rod and the lift-rod are in the down posittion. Insert the pivot-rod in the closest hole in the lift-rod strap.
• Slide the other end of the pivot-rod. Make sure the lift-rod opens and closes the drain plug as desired.
• Make minor adjustments by loosening the lift-rod strap screw and repositioning the lift-rod. (Diagram C)
• Make major adjustments by removing the spring clip and moving the pivot-rod to a different hole in the lift-rod strap.
  

STEP 4: FLUSH THE FAUCET

• Anytime you work on plumbing, filings, chips, and other debris can fall into the plumbing pipes.
• This debris can damage the sealing surfaces inside the faucet and cause leaks.
• Remove aerator and black sealing gasket above it.
• Before turning on the water supply, make sure the faucet handles are open (on position) in order to remove the debris without causing damage. (Diagram A)
• Open both water supply valves under the sink. (Diagram B)
• Allow the water to run for 15 seconds. (Diagram C)
• Close the faucet handles (turn off).
• Make sure any debris is cleaned from the aerator screen. (Diagram D)
• Replace the aerator. (Diagram E)

Glass Waterfall Bathroom Faucets

Style and superior craftsmanship – the Glass Waterfall faucets from Kraus have both of these in spades. Kraus faucets has been making a name for itself with its fine bathroom and kitchen fixtures that feature amazing innovative designs with an clear eye towards high quality construction, and you will find that the Kraus Glass Waterfall faucets not only look great, but will last you for many years to come. Crafted from solid brass, the main section of the faucet is durable, sturdy and definitely built to last. It will stand up to all of the rigors of daily use and still come out looking like a champ year after year.




















The Glass Waterfall faucets are members of Kraus’ Premium Bathroom Faucet Collection. They feature a glass disc at the top that allows the water to flow over and fan out, creating the illusion of a waterfall right there in your bathroom. The glass discs come in a range of different colors – like clear glass and a striking translucent black – and the metal of the faucets comes in an even wider range of finishes – polished gold, satin nickel, chrome, brushed chrome, antique brass, oil rubbed brass and antique copper. With such an array of choices as far as color schemes, you’ll have no trouble working this faucet into your existing décor or building a whole new design around it.


















The faucets are single hole installation types, and also single lever operated. This means that both the hot and cold water controls are operated by a single lever. It is a convenient feature, and also makes this type of faucet ideal for anyone with small children or disabled persons living with them, since ease of use is built right in. The Kraus Glass Waterfall faucets are suitable for use with vessel sinks or basin sinks, and you’ll love the touch of class and grace they add to your bathroom.

How to Plan Your Bathroom Lighting

Bathroom Sparkle

When considering the lighting plan for your bathroom, consider complimenting your choices with mirrors. Mirrors can make a space look larger and lighter; they can increase the impact of anything they reflect; they can change the contours of a room; and multiply and divide the effects of light.
The lighting fixture to the right is part of the Stowe Collection.
Another way to add sparkle is with a chandelier. The chandelier originated as a device to hold multiple candles, basically introducing more light when each individual source was of limited power. Over time, refinements were added to chandeliers, such as tiers of cut glass and crystal, primarily for the practical purpose of fracturing and multiplying the light further. Chandeliers can add these reflective properties to the bathroom creating depth and drama.

Lighting Catalog has all of your Hinkley Lighting needs. LightingCatalog.com is an online leader of Hinkley Outdoor Lighting and Hinkley Landscape Lighting. We are a sister site of eFaucet.com and a member of the eImprovement.com Network of Online Stores. Get your perfect bathroom lighting to match the faucets you purchase from eFaucets.com. Free Ground Shipping on all orders over $99. Large selection, low prices and excellent customer service. The Home Lighting and Outdoor Lighting leader. Why shop elsewhere?