Smart home devices, including smart plumbing products, continue to gain popularity. Today’s plumbing professionals need to track plumbing trends to better guide tech-savvy clients.
New plumbing technology saves homeowners time and money. By installing more efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances, homeowners can use a minimum of 20% less water.
For commercial clients who also care about their environmental impact, bolstering your go-to plumbing tools with new technology is key.
Below, we untap information on the top plumbing technology trends.
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1. Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless, or on-demand, water heaters remain highly popular for good reason, as this plumbing technology can save households $400 to $600 in energy costs every year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Traditional storage water heaters are larger and store up to 80 gallons of heated water. This leads to wasted energy as the unit keeps unused water hot. By contrast, smaller, tankless water heaters heat the water as it passes through the device, at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons per minute.
Homeowners also save over the life of the appliance, as most tankless water heaters last more than 20 years—compared to 10 to 15 years for a storage water heater, according to the Department of Energy.
2. Hot Water Recirculation
Instead of wasting water by letting cold water run through the pipes until it’s hot, a hot water recirculating pump gives you hot water quickly, right when you want it.
Plumbers install this plumbing technology on both tankless and storage tank water heaters, although the pumps can be installed near faucets, too.
Pumps with a timer mean you can schedule it to shut off, making hot water instantly available during peak usage. Unused water remains in the tank to prevent waste.
3. Smart Pipe Technologies
Gone are the days of homeowners coming home and unexpectedly finding a flooded laundry room or basement. New water pipe technology will offer leak detection for anything from a dripping toilet or a burst water pipe, and sends alerts to a smartphone, guarding against unexpected water damage.
Depending on the device, smart pipe technologies monitor temperature and humidity, monitor water flow and usage, or completely shut off the home’s water supply in the event of an emergency.
Smart pipe technologies requiring professional installation mean homeowners get smart plumbing with an expert to guide them through the process. If homeowners want to control all of their home’s smart devices with a smart home hub, it’s important to know their devices’ specifications, because not all devices are compatible with a hub.
4. Advanced Faucets
A few years ago, did voice-activated faucets seem like cutting-edge plumbing technology? Now commonplace, these devices give homeowners myriad options for hands-free kitchen and bath faucets.
Controlled on command through a digital voice assistant, these advanced faucets deliver precise amounts of water exactly when needed, and allow water to be turned on or off without touching the handle.
Touchless faucets using motion sensors, once found only in commercial settings, are another advanced option now readily available for your customer’s home or business.
5. Smart Shower Heads
New products for plumbing also include a more luxurious shower. Smart showers offer convenient options, responding to the sound of voice (or preset settings) to start or end a shower. Water temperature and steam features can be customized for each household member.
Other advanced options focus on energy-saving features. Water can be reduced when the user steps away from the shower head, or the user can pause all water flow. Devices can also monitor water consumption.
6. Smart Water Heaters
Since heating water accounts for about 20% of a home’s energy usage, it makes sense to look for ways to save. Smart water heaters can be remotely turned on or off so the unit wastes no energy by heating water when no one is home.
These smart plumbing products also use water temperature information and water consumption patterns to make sure the water heater is ready when needed.
Homeowners who want high-tech plumbing and heating features on their water heaters but don’t want to change out their appliances can find smart devices to install directly on their existing water heaters.
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7. Smart Irrigation Systems
Sprinkler systems, which traditionally rely on timers to irrigate the lawn and garden, now operate more intelligently. Green plumbing technology means sprinkler controllers use data from sensors and weather forecasts to deliver water at the right time.
When considering this latest plumbing technology, it’s important to keep in mind what type of irrigation system is used, such as a hose-based or underground sprinkler system, and how many zone configurations are needed.
As with any smart device, different smart sprinkler controllers offer varying features, so homeowners need to know their irrigation needs and watering schedules before making a decision.
8. Greywater Recycling
Greywater systems are growing in popularity, as homeowners become more environmentally and budget-conscious. In drought-prevalent areas of the country, conserving water is a dire concern.
The average family uses more than 300 gallons of water each day, with toilets and showers using the most water, according to water usage statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency. A surprising 50% to 80% of a building’s water consumption falls into the greywater category, meaning it can be reused for other purposes.
Greywater plumbing systems use water from tubs, washing machines, and other areas where it makes no contact with waste. This water is filtered or treated, depending on the greywater system, and is reused for flushing toilets, washing clothes, or irrigating plants.
9. Apps to Boost Your Plumbing Business
From building and sharing estimates and accepting payments in the field to building efficient driving routes or simplifying pipe measurements and layout, plumbing apps equip plumbing field technicians with tools at their fingertips to manage their work more efficiently, communicate more effectively, and deliver better service to their customers.
Use ServiceTitan’s Mobile App to give your entire plumbing team access to the comprehensive mobile plumbing platform through their tablets.
Chat features save time, decrease miscommunication, and leave a time-stamped record when questions arise. Plus, customers appreciate being in the loop to confirm their jobs or receive notifications when techs are on the way to their homes.
Once at the job, plumbers can build multi-tiered estimates with a few clicks. Then using Presentation Mode, they can hand the tablet over to their customers to view the good-better-best estimates, along with product images, explainer videos, and detailed product information. And the cloud-based system ensures pricebooks remain up to date, so techs present only the latest stock availability and price information in their estimates.
If the customer approves, the app enables payment collection, or you can let them apply for financing and receive a decision on the spot.
10. Advanced Toilets
As nearly everything becomes automated, consumers expect more of the most humble fixtures in their homes. New plumbing technology means more features in the bathroom, such as water-saving smart toilets that automatically open, flush, or cleanse.
Other advanced toilet features include heated seats, air drying, and motion-activated night lights to eliminate fumbling in the dark. Consumers seek smart plumbing products not only because of comfort, but also because they offer increased hygiene and water conservation.
11. WiFi Water Filtration
High-tech plumbing technology enables monitoring of whole-house water filtration systems so homeowners can check water usage and receive smartphone alerts in the event of a water leak or a running faucet.
The technology allows users to remotely shut off water from anywhere. For these features to work, a WiFi signal must be at the filter location. Similar tracking features are also available for select water softeners.
12. Plumbing Software
Software solutions built specifically for service business in the plumbing industry offer tools to streamline or automate daily tasks, including scheduling jobs, managing customer data, estimating project costs, tracking inventory, communicating with customers, and more—ultimately improving efficiency and profitability.
Streamline your plumbing company’s efficiency with ServiceTitan plumbing software that provides seamless communication between your office, field team, and customers. Schedule jobs with a drag-and-drop interface, and dispatch the right tech to the right job every time.
Techs arrive prepared with customer and equipment history at their fingertips, and can quickly estimate plumbing jobs and invoice customers from a mobile tablet, all while staying connected to the office. Crew leaders can even track jobs and team performance in real time.
Offer customers a better experience by providing them with mobile job confirmations, real-time tracking of their technicians, and a portal to request and pay for services. Give flexibility by allowing them to book jobs online, by chat, or over the phone.
Digital marketing tools, such as ServiceTitan Marketing Pro, also let you customize your professional marketing templates to create targeted email campaigns with just a few clicks. By using ServiceTitan reporting software, you can see what’s working and what isn’t, and have the data you need to grow your plumbing business.
And with inventory tracking, project tracking, payroll automation, and customizable reports and dashboards, business owners gain valuable insights into company performance along with the solutions they need to execute changes and improvements.
Now Over to You
Modern plumbing customers expect their plumbing service professionals to be up to date on the latest technology trends, especially when it comes to products and services that are energy efficient and offer them cost savings.
In addition to the trends listed above, ServiceTitan provides plumbing industry tips, tricks, and trends in our blog articles, podcast episodes, and webinars. Better serve and sell to customers by being able to confidently address their questions and offering the latest plumbing tech solutions.
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ServiceTitan is a comprehensive plumbing business software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and achieve growth. Our award-winning, cloud-based platform is trusted by more than 100,000+ contractors across the country.
