Every month, you pay your Iowa City water and energy bills and wonder if there is a simple way to bring those numbers down without giving up hot showers or a comfortable bathroom. You might have heard about efficient toilets or low-flow showerheads, but the shelves at the store are crowded and the packaging does not tell you what will actually make a difference in your home. It is easy to feel stuck between doing nothing and risking money on the wrong upgrade.
Many homeowners in and around Iowa City are in the same spot. Some are planning a bathroom or kitchen project, others are replacing an aging water heater, and many are just tired of watching utility costs creep up. You may care about using less water and energy, but you also need fixtures that work well every day and fit your plumbing system without causing new problems or extra maintenance.
We have spent more than 20 years working inside Iowa City homes, seeing firsthand which energy-efficient plumbing fixtures really deliver on their promises and which ones lead to callbacks. As a local, family-owned company, we focus on practical, cost-effective upgrades that fit the way our neighbors live. In this guide, we will walk through the options that tend to make the most sense in our area so you can decide what belongs on your upgrade list and what can stay on the shelf.
High-Efficiency Toilets: How Much Water Can You Save Per Flush
Toilets are often the single biggest indoor water user in a home, which makes them a prime target for efficiency gains. A toilet installed several decades ago may use around 3.5 gallons per flush or more. By comparison, current federal standards set 1.6 gallons per flush as the maximum for many new toilets, and many high-efficiency models use about 1.28 gallons per flush. That difference of roughly 2 gallons per flush can be significant if your family flushes dozens of times a day.
To put that into everyday terms, imagine a family of four where each person flushes the toilet about five times per day. With an older 3.5 gallon model, that is about 70 gallons of water per day just for flushing. With a 1.28 gallon high-efficiency toilet, the same usage is roughly 25 to 26 gallons per day. Over the course of a year, you are talking about many thousands of gallons that do not need to be treated, pumped into your home, and charged on your Iowa City utility bill. Even if your exact numbers differ, the direction of the change is clear.
Not all high-efficiency toilets are built the same way. Some rely on improved gravity-flush designs with carefully engineered bowls and trapways, which help move waste effectively with less water. Others use pressure-assist technology inside the tank to deliver a stronger flush. Dual-flush models give you a lower volume flush for liquid waste and a higher volume option for solids. The key is to match the design to your plumbing system, venting, and your expectations for performance. A poorly chosen or poorly installed toilet can lead to frequent clogs or double flushing, which undercuts the savings you were aiming for.
We often hear concerns that efficient toilets will not clear the bowl as well or that you will have to keep a plunger nearby. In our experience in Iowa City homes, those problems usually trace back to bargain models with weak design or to installation issues such as incorrect wax ring seating or venting limitations. Because we work with these products every day, we have a good sense of which brands and models have given our customers reliable performance while still cutting water use. Our quality-first mindset means we would rather install a toilet that uses a little more water per flush but works consistently, than chase the very lowest number on paper and leave you frustrated.
Efficient Faucets & Showerheads That Still Feel Comfortable
Showers and faucets are where comfort and efficiency have to meet in the middle. Older showerheads often flow at about 2.5 gallons per minute or higher. Many efficient models bring that down to around 2.0 gallons per minute or sometimes 1.5 gallons per minute. For faucets, older bathroom models may run at about 2.2 gallons per minute, while efficient versions often cut that to around 1.5 gallons per minute or less without affecting how you wash your hands or brush your teeth.
The key to making these changes feel good is in how the water is delivered. Modern showerheads use carefully designed spray patterns and small internal passages to create droplets that feel strong and full even when the total volume is lower. Many also mix in air, a process sometimes called aeration, which can make the spray feel more substantial on your skin while still limiting gallons per minute. Faucets can use aerators, which are small devices at the tip of the spout that shape the stream and reduce flow without leaving you with a weak trickle.
Iowa City homes vary widely in water pressure and plumbing layout. Some older houses with galvanized piping or longer runs from the meter may already have marginal pressure. In those cases, dropping straight to the lowest-flow showerhead on the shelf can make the shower feel disappointing. We have found that a moderate-flow efficient model often gives the best balance in these homes, cutting water and energy use while still delivering a satisfying shower. In newer houses or homes with strong pressure, lower-flow heads sometimes work very well and provide noticeable savings.
From a cost and installation standpoint, efficient showerheads and faucet aerators are some of the simplest upgrades you can make. Many can be swapped in a short visit, and in some cases, we can complete these changes while handling other plumbing work in your home. Before recommending a specific product, we like to understand your current pressure, how many showers are running at the same time in the morning, and whether there are existing comfort issues. That way, you are not trading one frustration for another in the name of efficiency.
Water Heaters & Hot Water Systems That Use Less Energy
Your water heater is one of the larger energy users in your home, especially through Iowa’s cold months. Traditional storage tank heaters keep a large volume of water hot around the clock, which means you pay for standby heat loss even when you are not running a faucet. Newer high-efficiency tank models improve insulation and burner or element design to reduce those losses. Tankless models heat water on demand, so there is no stored tank of hot water at all. Heat pump water heaters move heat from the surrounding air into the water, which can be very efficient in the right conditions.
Each option has tradeoffs. High-efficiency tank heaters can often drop into the same general space as your existing unit, with some adjustments for venting and gas or electrical connections. They typically cost more upfront than basic models but use less fuel or electricity for the same amount of hot water. Tankless heaters can free up floor space and provide a continuous hot water supply within their capacity, but they require sizing to your household’s peak demand and may need upgraded gas lines or venting. Heat pump units often work best in larger spaces like some basements, and they can cool the surrounding area slightly while removing moisture, which is sometimes a benefit.
In Iowa City, many homes place water heaters in basements that stay cool for much of the year. This makes good tank insulation and proper piping layout important. Long pipe runs from the basement to upper floors can increase wait times for hot water and increase wasted water and energy. In some homes, adding circulation controls or rethinking the routing can help, but even without major changes, an efficient heater paired with insulated hot water lines can cut losses noticeably. During an in-home visit, we can usually spot where these losses are adding up and explain your options in plain language.
Modern high-efficiency water heaters often come with more precise controls and specific installation requirements. Our plumbers stay current with these products through ongoing training, which helps us set them up correctly so they perform as designed. That training, combined with our experience in local basements, utility rooms, and mechanical closets, helps us avoid issues that can quietly waste the efficiency you were paying for, such as improper vent lengths, incorrect combustion air supply, or poorly insulated connections.
How Ackerman Plumbing Helps You Choose the Right Efficient Upgrades
Turning all of this information into a clear plan for your home can feel like a lot, which is where a trusted local plumbing team makes a difference. On a typical visit, we start by looking at your existing fixtures and water heater, listening to your concerns about bills, comfort, or upcoming projects. We then walk through the most impactful opportunities for your specific situation, pointing out where an efficient toilet or showerhead makes sense, where a simple repair would help, and when it might be time to think about a newer water heater.
Because we are a local, family-owned company with more than 20 years of experience in Iowa City and the surrounding communities, we bring a neighborly, dependable approach to these conversations. Our vans arrive stocked with common efficient fixtures, aerators, and materials, so many recommended changes can happen in a single visit instead of being pushed off to another day. For homeowners who like the idea of staying ahead of problems and spotting efficiency opportunities early, our Total Care Club provides annual inspections, front-of-line service, repair discounts, and no service fee, which all support long-term reliability and comfort.
We are proud of the trust we have earned in the community, including an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and active membership in the Greater Iowa City Home Builders Association. That trust comes from consistent follow-through and from choosing dependable products that match each home, rather than pushing the latest trend. If you are considering energy-efficient plumbing upgrades in your Iowa City home, we would be glad to help you sort through the options and create a plan that fits your goals and budget.