How a Faucet Aerator Will Help You Conserve Water

A leaky kitchen faucet is not only annoying, but in the long run, it will cost you precious cash in wasted water. Those little drips add up to gallons upon gallons of unused tap water, and that’s not only bad for your pocketbook, but also for an environment in which clean water is getting harder and harder to come by. So then, how do you go about eliminating a leaky faucet? 

The answer usually lies in replacing your old faucet aerator. This is a process that can be done either on a DIY basis or, if the problem is too complicated, you need call a professional who specializes in faucet aerators. 

What should you look for in a professional? According to  https://aerator.com/, you need to seek out an experienced, licensed company that can provide you with the ideal aerator match for your kitchen faucet to ensure optimal water flow, efficiency, and even style. The faucet aerator should also reduce splashing and provide you with “effortless maintenance,” thus eliminating the dreaded drip, drip, drip. 

That said, how does a modern faucet aerator go about conserving water usage in your home? A recent report by House Digest states that if you’ve opened your most recent water bill and found yourself somewhat stunned by the sudden increase in price, it’s likely due to a leaky faucet. But even if you’ve tried to cut down on water usage and always make sure the taps are completely closed, faucets that aren’t properly maintained will still leak.   

One tried and true method for eliminating not only a leaky faucet but for conserving your water usage, is to properly maintain your faucet aerator. In most cases, you won’t need to call in a professional to clean your aerator. You simply unscrew it and clean out the debris and minerals that have collected inside it. 

What is a Faucet Aerator Exactly?

At base, a faucet aerator is a screw-on screen filter that mixes air with the water stream. Its purpose is to reduce and conserve water flow without compromising water pressure. On a secondary basis the aerator also acts as a filter which means it can get clogged with minerals and other debris that might be coming out of your faucet. 

The device is said to save upwards of 700 gallons of water over the course of a year. However, over time, it will get clogged with debris, significantly reducing its effectiveness. This is why it’s imperative to give your faucet aerator a decent cleaning once every quarter or even every couple of months, depending on how much debris comes from your tap.

Conserving water and lowering your water bill isn’t necessarily about using less H2O. It’s about maintaining your water aerator so that it’s always working at optimal performance levels.   

Why a Clean Faucet Aerator Conserves Water

Says House Digest, the quality and efficiency of most household appliances and tools will deteriorate after years of constant use (and in some cases, abuse). The faucet aerators found inside your kitchen and bathrooms are no exception. 

One bathroom alone can account for most of the water used inside your home. This should give you some idea of all the tap water that passes through the aerator on a daily basis. Along with this reality comes the inevitable risk of the faucet aerator clogging with debris, dirt, and mineral deposits. Even small bits of rust have been known to get trapped inside an aerator. 

While cleaning your aerators might on the surface seem like a minor task, it can make a big difference when it comes to saving money and conserving water. If your aerator is clogged, the water flow will slow or turn into a spray that’s unruly and uneven. The constant dripping of water will occur along with weak flow. As a result, you will end up using more water than normal since you will be running the faucet longer than usual to accomplish everything from washing your hands to cleaning the dinner dishes. This will result in wasted water and higher utility bills.  

If the small holes in the aerator are not blocked, the faucet will deliver a steady stream of unimpeded water. This results in your using less water which reduces unnecessary waste.   

In the end, if you wish to clean your faucet aerator on your own, the process can be simple. Just unscrew it and clear the screen of debris. If your water is hard and contains a lot of calcium, you might need to soak the aerator in vinegar until the screen is clean. But if your faucet aerator appears to be damaged beyond repair, you will need to call in a certified professional.