Estimating peak flow rates for a single-family home or a multifamily development doesn’t have to be difficult. The rewards are simple, too. Not only can you save time and money during the construction phase of your project by right sizing plumbing pipes, but you’ll also be able to share the savings with your customers through ongoing reduced water and energy use. Naturally, conserving water and energy provides environmental advantages, too.
The Water Demand Calculator® tool developed by IAPMO® provides a streamlined modern method to accurately estimate water peak flow rates to correctly size piping for any residential project.
While it’s common to continue using processes that you’re familiar with and use with ease, today’s plumbing planning can benefit from an upgrade that considers the use and desirability of low-flow fixtures. The preference for low-flow fixtures is evident from Green Builder Media’s COGNITION Smart Data, which found that more than 80% of consumers and more than 75% of building professionals are willing to pay more for low-flow fixtures.
For the past 100 years, water demand estimates that drove decisions about the size of pipes were based on the concept that every fixture in a building would be used simultaneously. The Water Demand Calculator tool provides a more accurate estimate for residential settings based on a handful of simple inputs. The benefits of right-sizing pipes include lower construction costs, reduced water consumption, greater energy efficiency, and improved water quality that impacts the health of residents.
Right-sizing pipes for a home helps save water, especially for hot water using plumbing fixtures like showers and sinks. This is because you have less water to displace that has cooled off overnight before the hot water reaches fixtures.
Smaller pipes mean less water goes down the drain since hot water gets to the fixture more quickly. When you reduce the amount of water that needs to be heated and displaced before the water flow reaches the right temperature, you also save on energy costs associated with heating the water. Several studies show that this type of structural water savings can equal about 500 gallons per year per dwelling unit, basically the size of an outdoor hot tub every year.
An important health benefit of right-sized pipes is that bacteria that may cause waterborne diseases can grow more quickly in a pipe with slower water movement which increases water age. Oversized pipes are more likely to have water linger in the system. By right-sizing the water age presumably is reduced, meaning water quality is improved.
To learn more about why IAPMO developed their Water Demand Calculator, the research that supports the accuracy of the tool and how to use the calculator, download the “Why Right-Sizing Water Calculations Matters” eBook.