Author Topic: Vacation rental water conservation ideas  (Read 1138 times)

MMM98

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Vacation rental water conservation ideas
« on: May 01, 2018, 02:07:03 PM »
I have a vacation rental, anyone who has one knows that there is quite a bit of 'vacation waste' associated with the utilities.

In my area water for the first 3,000 gallons/month is reasonable but above that it is priced to encourage conservation.  I have all the newer water conserving appliances: 1.6 gallon toilets, 2.5 gpm shower and front load washer.  I averaged 3240/gal/mo last year.  I installed two energy conservation devices with surprising results. 

I have a larger walk in door less shower in the master bedroom.  It's easy to take a long steamy shower.

I installed a toilet bag which displaces water in the tank.  I played around with how full to fill the bag and still get a good flush.  I also replaced the 2.5 gpm shower restrictor with a 2 gpm.  A 2 gpm is still a decent shower, not one of those misting showers.  Here are the products that I used:
https://www.amazon.com/Niagara-Conservation-Water-Saving-Toilet/dp/B003UQ5XAS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525203851&sr=8-2&keywords=toilet+water+saver
and
https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-08-2483-Plastic-Thread-Restrictor/dp/B00HYWB9OS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1525204162&sr=8-3&keywords=shower+restrictor&dpID=31VcCf0EKFL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch


I expected a 3-400 gallons a month savings, instead it dropped to 2360/gal/mo, 880 gallons (27%) savings  I attribute much of it to the shower restrictor.  The one linked is a single hole restrictor, unlike the more common screen style.  As the water rushes through that hole it vibrates creating a hum or whistle. You know the sound, you may have heard it in the last hotel you stayed at.    I am sure that is not what the manufacturer intended but it has the  replaced the pleasant sound of falling water to 'let me take my shower and get on with my day' sound .

If you have a vacation rental or even teenagers you might find this info useful.

« Last Edit: May 02, 2018, 07:34:01 PM by MMM98 »

MMM98

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Re: Vacation rental water conservation ideas
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2018, 12:47:38 PM »
In addition a 2 GPM over a 2.5 GPM shower restrictor saves 20.75 annually in electricity to heat water.  It is probably more where you live if electricity is over 10.5 cents a KwH.  Here is the formula:

It takes .000293 Kwh to raise 1 pound of water 1° F
A gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs.
Average temp tap water 72 degrees (Florida)
Water heater set at 120 degrees so 48 degrees of rise
Efficiency of heater .95 (95%) For 2915 and later models .90 pre 2015
Ave price of electricity .105 KwH
Formula: .000293 X 8.34 X 48 X .90 X .105 + .110841 cents per gallon or .1055628 KwH per gallon or 9.473034 gallons per KwH

The average shower is 105 degrees, in my area that means 65% hot water 35% cold for every shower, an average shower is 8 minutes per multiple studies found on the web.

« Last Edit: May 25, 2018, 12:52:36 PM by MMM98 »