Hi Casey,

You would need to install a “grinder pump” or “lift station” to pump the drain water from the washer up to the level of your drain pipe so it can be fed into your septic tank. A plumber would be familiar with this type of system.

Concerned about what’s in your drinking water? Well, you should be! While municipal drinking water in the U.S. is among the safest in the world, almost all of the 25 largest city water systems have reported violations of federal drinking water standards. These include samples that contained significant levels of chlorine, lead, E. coli bacteria, and other contaminants.

Think you’re better off drinking bottled water instead? Wrong again! Bottled water is even less regulated than tap water and has been found to contain a number of contaminants, including potentially harmful chemicals from the plastic bottles that can leach into the water.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution—installing a water filter in your home. While some models may require a visit from the plumber, many are a snap to install. They’re easy to use and available to fit any budget or lifestyle. Plus, you’ll save money compared to buying bottled water.

Finding the Right Water Filter System

There are several different types of water filter systems available that vary in both cost and convenience.

Pitcher:

• Water is poured into a reservoir and drips through a filter into the pitcher.
• Simple to use, no installation required.
• Filtering is slow and limited to what the pitcher can hold, filter may clog.
• Cost: $15 - $30.

Faucet Mount:

Photo Courtesy of GE

• Filter unit replaces aerator on faucet, providing more water than pitchers.
• Easy installation – just attach to existing faucet.M.
• Allows switching from filtered water to plain tap water.
• Can get in the way when washing dishes and filter may not fit all faucets.
• Cost: $20 - $70.

Countertop:

Photo Courtesy of Aquasana

• Diverter valve replaces aerator on faucet, tube carries water to countertop filter.
• Larger filter is less likely to clog than faucet models.
• Easy installation – simply attach to faucet and place on counter.
• Takes up room on countertop, and may not fit all faucets.
• Cost: $50 - $300.

Under Sink:

Photo Courtesy of GE

• Mounts under sink and attaches to cold water pipe with separate water dispenser installed next to sink.
• Can handle large volume of water.
• Harder to install – requires moderate plumbing skills.
• No counter clutter but takes up space in cabinet.
• Requires hole in counter or sink for dispenser.
• Cost: $55 - $700.

Whole House:

Photo Courtesy of Aquasana

• Filters all the water as it comes into the house.
• Most only remove sediment and rust, though some more expensive models filter out other contaminants as well.
• Requires professional installation.
• Cost: $40 - $1000+.

Icemaker Filter:

• Attaches to water line for icemaker.
• Reduces contaminants and sediment in ice and improves taste.
• Fairly easy to install – requires some minor plumbing.
• Cost: $15 - $60.

The Filter is the Key

The most important component of any system is the filter itself. The more common types are:

• Carbon – The most commonly used filter due to its high adsorption rate and low cost. May be impregnated with silver to help kill bacteria. Reduces lead, mercury, and chlorine, along with some organic chemicals and pesticides, while improving odor and taste. Does not eliminate heavy metals, nitrates, arsenic, or many microbes.
• Ceramic – Made from fossil shell material. Unlike carbon, ceramic filters can be cleaned and reused. They are often combined with a carbon filter for more complete coverage. Remove bacteria, cysts, and asbestos, but not mercury or lead.
• Reverse Osmosis – Water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane under pressure. They are large, slow, expensive, and waste several times more water than they clean, but produce highly filtered water. Can remove most contaminants including heavy metals, nitrates, arsenic, chlorine, pesticides, and bacteria. However, they also remove minerals that may be necessary for good health.
• Water Distillation – Water is boiled and the steam is then condensed. Kills microbes and removes lead and mercury, but some chemicals may pass through. Also removes minerals that may be important for good health.
• UV Radiation – High intensity ultraviolet light kills microbes present in water, but does not eliminate most chemicals and other contaminants.

Choosing the Right Filter

• Begin by requesting a water quality report from your local water system. Known as the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), it will list any known contaminants. You may also be able to find your report online through the Environmental Protection Agency website.

• While the report tells you what’s in your municipal water supply, the water that comes out of your tap may harbor additional contaminants, such as lead from pipes. To find out more about the water in your home, a testing kit can be purchased at most home improvement stores for under $20.

• Read the filter’s label carefully before purchasing, and match it to the results of your CCR and home test.

• Consider how much water the filter will handle. While a pitcher may be perfect for one or two people, a large family might require a system with a higher capacity.

• When comparing the price of similar systems, don’t forget to include the cost of replacing the filter. You may find that a less expensive system actually costs more in the long run.

• Finally, remember that the purpose of water filters is to trap sediment and contaminants, so be sure and change your filter regularly to prevent the growth of mold or bacteria.

Further Information:

• EPA Water Quality Information
• Green Guide to Water Filters
• Heartspring Guide to Water Filters
• Mother Earth News: “Safe Drinking Water”

Manufacturers:

• Aquasana
• Brita
• Culligan
• GE
• Kenmore
• Pur
• Whirlpool

I would like to know which brand offers showerheads that don’t use a lot of water. Thanks, Richard

Richard,

With drought gripping parts of the country, more and more homeowners are concerned about reducing their water usage, and replacing your showerhead is a good place to start. Not only will you be conserving our natural resources, but you’ll save money on water and utility bills at the same time.

Since 1992, all showerheads have been required to use no more than 2.5 gallons of water a minute, less than half that of many older models. You can check to see how much your showerhead uses by timing how long it takes to fill up a one gallon bucket. If it takes less than 24 seconds (2.5 g.p.m.), you might consider replacing it with a newer model.

Recent advances in technology have made showerheads more efficient while using even less water. Here are some of the more efficient low-flow models that are available:

• The Delta H2OKinetic Technology Water Amplifying Showerhead uses larger water droplets that retain more heat for a more comfortable shower. It uses only 1.6 g.p.m. and is available at The Home Depot stores for around $13.
• Waterpik’s EcoFlow model has six setting, including pulsating massage, and also allows you to turn off the water temporarily. It uses 2.0 g.p.m. and is available at Wal-Mart stores for less than $23.
• Oxygenics SkinCare model has three settings that use either 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 g.p.m. It is available though their website for under $35 plus shipping.
• Gaiam Real Goods showerhead comes complete with a pause button. It uses less than 2.25 g.p.m. and is available on their website for $12 plus shipping.
• Bricor B100 Max line has models that use from as little as 0.595 up to 1.125 g.p.m. They are available at their website for under $60 plus shipping.
• Aquahelix employs a unique rotating stream of water that uses only 0.57 g.p.m. They can be ordered by phone for under $30 plus shipping.

You too can submit your questions to Ask Danny.

While you could hire a contractor to remodel your bathroom, the bill could run as much as $7,000 to $8,000. We’ll show you how to do it on a tight budget by purchasing the materials from the home improvement center and doing the work yourself.

The bath we are renovating is about 50 years old and measures only 4’ wide by 9’ long. With the exception of the shower, all of the fixtures will be replaced and a vent fan mounted in the ceiling. While many of the items we used were available on the shelf at the home center, we were able to special order hard to find items from their catalog.

Demolition

We started by removing the old toilet. After turning off the water, the handle was held down until the tank had drained. Next, a bucket of water was poured in the bowl to force out much of the remaining water.

After the water supply line and bolts holding it to the floor had been removed, the toilet was taken out and the wax ring scraped away. The sink was then disconnected and removed along with the vanity. Once the fixtures were out of the way, the peel and stick tile floor could be pulled up and the glue scrubbed off using a degreaser and bleach.

Electrical Work

In order to accommodate a larger mirror over the vanity, the electrical outlet and light switch had to be moved. This required cutting a hole in the drywall along with adding an additional switch for the vent fan. Since the drywall was already in place, a “pop-in” or remodeling electrical box was used that doesn’t require nailing to the studs.

After the hole for the NuTone combination vent fan and light had been cut in the ceiling, the power was turned off so it could be mounted and wired from the attic. While the fan is extremely quiet, it is efficient as well, allowing the air in the room to be exchanged every four minutes.

Floor Tile

Once the old tile floor had been cleaned, chalk lines were popped in both directions to mark the center of the room. To keep the chalk lines from being rubbed out, they were sprayed with hair spray to fix them in place.

The new tiles for the floor were porcelain, rather than ceramic, which is more durable and a bit more expensive. They were installed diagonally on top of the old tile floor using a stiff mixture of thin-set adhesive. A portable wet saw and tile nippers were used to make the curved cuts around the toilet flange while a scoring cutter was used for straight cuts.

Trim and Painting

Any holes in the drywall were patched and finished. Then new window facing were installed along with baseboards, before the bath was painted.

Bathroom Fixtures

The vanity for the bathroom was made by RSI Home Products and special ordered through The Home Depot. It features a narrow profile that fit in perfectly with the bathroom. The faucet was made by Kohler and installed before the top was set in place. A sliding glass door for the shower went in as well.

The Rockton duel flush toilet from Sterling has two flushing modes that use either 0.8 or 1.6 gallons per flush. While the eco-friendly toilet was expensive at $680, it can save a family of four up to 6,000 gallons of water a year.

Finishing Up

The mirror over the vanity was screwed directly to studs in the wall. Since there was no stud available to hold the towel holder, it was attached to the drywall with Molly bolts, which hold much better than plastic anchors.

When our bathroom budget makeover had been completed, the change was dramatic. While we spent about $2,500 for materials, we probably saved twice that much in labor by doing the work ourselves.

Other Tips From This Episode

Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® were provided by Ryobi.

A toilet that runs constantly or doesn’t flush properly can be quite a nuisance and waste of water. There are several common problems associated with toilets that are fairly easy to diagnose and repair.

When you remove the cover of the tank, you’ll notice that the toilet contains an overflow tube to keep it from flooding, a float to control the water level, an intake valve to let water into the tank, and a flapper valve on the bottom that is connected to the handle by a chain.

Often when a toilet won’t stop running, the culprit is that the water level in the tank is set too high. This allows water to spill over the top of the overflow tube and keeps the intake valve from shutting off.

Depending on how the toilet is made, the water level in the tank can be adjusted by either turning a screw on the top of the intake valve,

or by reaching into the tank and turning an adjustment at the bottom.

When you have finished adjusting it, flush the toilet and check to see that the water level remains a bit below the top of the overflow tube.

Another common problem is a gradual loss of water in the tank, which causes the intake valve to cycle on and off periodically. If this is the case, you probably have a leaky flapper valve. To check, pour a little food coloring in the tank.

If the water in the bowl changes color without flushing it, the flapper valve needs to be replaced.

To replace the flapper, turn off the water to the toilet at the cutoff valve.

Flush the toilet to purge the water from the tank. Reach inside the tank and remove the old flapper valve.

Replace it with a new one and reattach the chain from the handle.

If neither of these two repairs solves the problem, you might have to resort to replacing the entire inner workings of the tank. Kits are available at home improvement stores that contain all the parts necessary, along with step-by-step instructions.

If the problem involves the intake valve, unhook the water line from the bottom of the tank, and loosen the nut that holds the intake value.

Remove the intake valve and replace it with the new one.

If the overflow tube and flapper assembly require replacement, the tank will have to be removed from the toilet by loosening the two bolts that hold it in place. After replacing the components, reattach the tank to the toilet. The chain from the handle to the flapper should have a little slack in it, but not so much that it can become lodged under the flapper when it is flushed. When everything is back in place, fill up the tank and check for leaks.

After years of daily use, a faucet may develop a leak around the handle when it is turned on, or drip constantly from the faucet no matter how hard you try to turn it off. Both problems can often be solved by replacing the washer and sealing the valve threads with Teflon tape.

Start by turning off the water, then remove the screw in the handle of the faucet.

Next, pry off the faucet handle. If corrosion has it frozen in place, you may have to use a spray lubricant like WD-40 and slowly work it loose.

After the handle is off, use a deep well socket and wrench to unscrew the valve from the housing.

Once the valve is loose, take it out of the housing.

Remove the screw in the end of the valve, and take out the washer.

Replace the old washer with a new one of the same diameter and thickness and tighten the screw holding it on.

Wrap the housing threads on the outside of the valve with Teflon tape to prevent it from leaking at the handle.

Screw the valve back into the housing, being careful not to strip or over tighten the threads.

Replace the handle, turn on the water, and you should be ready to go.

A slow running or clogged tub drain can be really annoying and turn your bath or shower into a less than idyllic experience. Fortunately, it’s usually a simple problem to fix.

Start by removing the screws on the drain’s overflow escutcheon plate.

Next, pull the drain assembly out of the overflow pipe.

Clean any hair and debris from the drain bail.

A two-foot long flexible rod with tiny bristles on the end, known as a drain stick, is used to remove any additional gunk from the drain.

The rod is inserted in the drain, and any remaining trash is fished out.

The drain can be cleaned out even more by removing the drain grate.

Use the drain stick to clean inside it while flushing it out with water.

Once the drain is running freely, reassemble the drain assembly and grate.