You are a homeowner, and you want to make sure that your home is as functional as possible. With the rising cost of utilities, it can be hard to keep up with your utility bills. One way of lowering high utility bills is by making simple changes in using water around the house.
The good news is that there are some effortless ways to reduce your water usage without sacrificing comfort or convenience. Aerators are one low-cost option for reducing your water consumption at home, saving money on heating and cooling bills.
Installing faucet aerators is an effective solution for lowering your household’s overall water usage. By installing aerators on all of your bathroom faucets and kitchen sinks, you will see significant savings each month as you’re able to control the flow of water.
Here are the common benefits of using faucet aerators:
Reduces the Risk of Lead Exposure
Traditional faucet heads with separate hot and cold water control knobs allow cold water to run after the hot water has been turned off. This typically causes a small amount of lead-containing particles from the interior pipes and faucet fixtures to be mixed with cold water at the tap, affecting your health if not filtered properly before consumption.
Therefore, it’s important to clean your aerators every six months because lead can flake off lead pipes and plumbing and get into your drinking water.
erators Help to Remove Debris After Construction
If you use an aerator screen, it can catch dust and debris after construction. Aerator helps to filter debris to reduce additional charges for homeowners with meters. Soaking your clogged aerator in vinegar can help remove dirt and clogs.
Cleaning your clogged aerator can help flush out lead particles and other contaminants that accumulate after time. Anaerobic bacteria can build up in aerators and lead to smelly kitchen sinks. The good news is that cleaning the aerator only takes a few seconds of your time, saves you money on plumbing bills, and eliminates household odors.
Improves Water Flow
Another important benefit is that your faucet aerator will receive a new neoprene gasket. Gaskets can crack and fray over time, so installing a new gasket can help you turn the water on and off more easily.
Maybe your faucet is suffering from low water pressure because of dirt and debris in the aerator. Not only does this make washing dishes difficult, but it could damage your appliances if they work harder to pull water through a restrictive feed line. Removing and cleaning your aerator more often will help you reach the perceived water pressure.
Helps You Save Money
A clogged aerator may be restricting water flow, causing less water to reach the end of a faucet extension cord. This will cause you to use more water to clean the dishes and surfaces you’re working on, which can cost an extra penny or two in water bills. An aerator helps to conserve water, hence lowering your water bill.
This is a small price to pay when you consider the damage that could occur over time if your faucets reach their maximum pressure capability with a clogged aerator. Washing hands and rinsing dishes can be done more efficiently with aerators in place because it allows you to adjust the water pressure precisely. This makes it great water saving feature in your home.
Another thing people don’t think about when they replace their faucets is that new faucets are at different heights than the old ones. New faucets also help you on saving soap since bubbles activate soap faster, hence reducing the amount of soap needed when doing dishes.
Decreased Faucet Noise
Noisy faucets are not only disgusting, but they’re also disruptive. However, an aerator increases the air in the water stream as it’s released, which can help muffle faucet noise.
These water streams help in reducing water noise which is achieved through the mixing of air with water. As the water flows through the faucet, the aerator breaks the stream of water into several smaller streams, allowing air to be mixed. Therefore, the mixing of air and water creates a calming effect on water noise.
Increased Filtration
Apart from being a flow restrictor, an aerator contains small screens which increase particle filtration for a single faucet. A small screen aerator can work with your filtration system to keep your water clean and clearer. But if you often have dirt and debris problems, clean them regularly with a towel to ensure proper aeration.
Reduced Splashing
If there’s uneven flow in your faucets, you may get splashing which not only makes your kitchen wet but also damage your shower faucets and any appliance below the faucet. Low flow aerators can reduce splashing because it makes the water stream less powerful.
Aerators protect your plumbing by restricting flow through a smaller passageway, reducing strain on internal components. Less pressure not only allows you to save water but your faucet takes a long duration without wear and tear. An aerator regulates the amount of water in your faucet, making your kitchen and bathroom dry and neat all the time.
Simple and Quick Installation
While many home optimizing renovations can take you time and disrupt your daily activities, installing an aerator can take a few hours or minutes. With professional advice, you can install an aerator on your own using a few tools.
Bigger Life-Span
Aerators help you save on cost and time by protecting your internal pipelines from damage resulting from excessive pressure, saving hundreds of dollars in the process. They also protect the faucet’s exterior, giving it a longer life span. Aerators are also less likely to result in blockages, the common cause of most faucet repairs.
How to Install Faucet Aerators
Remove the Old Aerator
It’s important to check for sediment buildup in the aerator, which can restrict it. Then, close the stopper on the sink basin to prevent spills. You can flush out sediment by running warm water through the aerator and shaking it. Make sure you stop the basin to avoid losing parts down the drain.
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Then, turn off your faucet and slightly loosen the body of the aerator to release any pressure that may have built up. Grab a towel or wear work gloves before removing all corrosion or mineral deposits on the drain. Use a wrench or pliers to remove the faucet aerator. But do not use a wrench to turn off your faucet collar.
Install the New Faucet Aerator
Put the new aerator into your faucet and hold it in place while you tighten it down. Test it by running water in both cold and hot water directions very slowly to ensure no leaks. If it has leaks, you need to check the faucet aerator for any problems before properly installing it. You can also take your time to learn how to fix a leaky bathtub faucet
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After that, remove the old aerator. Once you’ve taken it off, take it apart and soak it in vinegar for some minutes, then scrub the parts with an old toothbrush.
Install the Aerator Gasket
Ensure you place the aerator gasket on top of the faucet. Insert the Hand Tight Connector into the aerator gasket and then place the whole thing onto your faucet’s threads by turning it counterclockwise until it feels snug against your faucet. This may be difficult to do, and you might want to enlist a helping hand for assistance.
After that, use your fingers to tighten the screw about another half a turn further. At this point, it should be as tight as you can get it with your hands, and you should still be able to operate the handle without any resistance.
FAQs on Benefits of Installing Faucet Aerator
How often should you change faucet aerators?
Aerators are small screens made of metal or plastic then fitted onto faucets. They can get blocked after repeated usage with minute particles of dirt, sediment, rust or lime. Regular cleaning with a towel or soaking in vinegar is important for maintaining your aerator’s functionality. You should also replace it when it is worn out or damaged due to years of use.
Can you remove a faucet aerator?
Faucet aerators can be removed without too much difficulty if they are not stuck or rusted. But, it is important to remember that you should stop the water flow before attempting any such thing on your faucet.
Final Thought on Installing Faucet Aerators
An aerator is an important part of a faucet. So, if you want to use your faucet at its full potential, make sure the aerator is replaced on time and functional before each usage. If you see your water flow restricted to a trickle, it might be clogged with dirt.
You can clean a clogged aerator by soaking it in vinegar for a few hours. You might also opt to install a new aerator, given that it’s quite inexpensive to install.
The post Why You Need To Install Faucet Aerators appeared first on Kitchen Infinity.
