Aer-Head

Did you know that "Airhead" used to be one of my nicknames in high school? A little Burbanmom trivia for ya there, no extra charge. Other nicknames included "Erwin", "Scarin' Erin", "Little Heather" and "Brownie". These days, most folks just call me "Crazy Bitch" although it's less of a nickname and more of a clinical observation.

But that's got absolutely nothing to do with today's post. In fact, I don't even have anything to do with the post. That's because a wonderful fellow blogger has been forced volunteered to share some trade secrets that will help us lower our water use! Rob Johnson of Rob's World is a plumber from Burien, Washington and will be giving us the inside scoop on low-flow faucet aerators today. So without further ado, let's give it up for Rob and the Amazing Aerators!


Burbs asked me to give you guys some simple tips on easy, low cost fixes for your plumbing problems. I can get into changing washers and such on your faucets, but there are so many types and most modern faucets use ceramic cartridges that it would get too confusing if I tried to explain that here (not to mention my fat stubby fingers would get tired of all that typing) so I will direct your attention to Expert Village. There you will find lots of good videos on everything from changing your own oil to leaky faucets. I highly recommend this site. But we are talking plumbing here, so lower your jeans to expose your butt crack, grab a pipe wrench, spit and cuss for a minute or two and follow along!


SAVING WATER USING LOW FLOW AERATORS

Purchasing low flow aerators is a no-brainer for me. They are inexpensive to buy, easy to install and they can save lots of water.

An aerator is the little screen in the faucet that aerates (adds air to) your water. Replacing your existing aerator with a low-flow aerator on your kitchen or bathroom faucet reduces water use greatly (faucets made after 1994 should already have these). You can purchase inexpensive low-flow aerators at your Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware stores or your neighborhood hardware.

BM butts in to say: According to Creative Citizen, the average faucet spews out more than 3 gallons per minute, to get a major drop in water usage, you'll need an aerator with a flow rating of 2.75 gpm or less (preferably 1.5 gpm or even 1 gpm or 0.5 gpm). If you already have aerators installed, check the side to see the imprinted flow rate. Consider replacing those over 2.75 gpm.

How to Install a Low-Flow Aerator:


Simply unscrew your old aerator - use a plier to get it started. Turn clockwise.

Before installing your new aerator, turn on the cold water for about a minute to flush out any sediment, then simply screw on the new aerator.

Turn it counter-clockwise, until it stops. You may want to use the pliers to make it tight, but use caution - don't over tighten!

That's it? Really? Even I can do that! Who knew conserving water could be so simple? Thanks, Rob! Burbanmom is off to check her existing aerators to see which ones can be replaced with low-flow aerators! Tune in on Friday when Rob puts himself out of work by showing us just how easy it is to install a low-flow shower head!