Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Showers account for more than one-fifth of the water Americans use every day. We can conserve more of this precious resource with a low-flow showerhead. If you re not convinced you need to cut your water flow, put a 2-quart pan under your showerhead and turn it on. If it takes less than 12 seconds to fill the pan, you could conserve. Low-flow showerheads limit flow to 2 and a half gallons per minute or less and cost between $8 and $50. Contrary to popular belief, they do not reduce the water pressure of your shower. Some mix the water with air, others pulse and some are elevated to provide a rain shower effect. For between $70 and $250, you can buy one that will even filter chlorine and other chemicals from your water for a truly clean shower that won t dry out your skin. Take a look at the end of your faucet: Most are threaded to receive an aerator. If your existing aerator has a number greater than 2.75 GPM written on it or there isn t one at all, it s an easy upgrade to install. Remove the old one by turning it to the left. If it s stuck, gently use vice grips or tongue-and-groove pliers. Add a piece of Teflon tape over the faucet threads before screwing on the new one to form a tight seal. Faucet aerators only cost $5 to $10 and will pay for themselves in water savings in only a few months. Installing faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads in your home is one of the best ways to reduce your environmental footprint, and it can save you 50 percent of your water and hot water costs to boot. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Outdoor faucets can develop leaks over time. Repairing or replacing the faulty parts will require a few standard tools.

Freeze-proof outdoor faucets are the best replacement option in areas prone to freezing and low temperatures. The project requires drilling and soldering, so be sure you are confident taking on the project.

Bob and Dan Gerry form Tranquility Plumbing agree that budgeting for high-quality fittings and fixtures is important. The Moen diverter and sprayer that Gerry is installing is a great unit that is easily repaired by the homeowner. Gerry says that it is important to consider availability of parts when selecting fixtures, because every faucet will need repairs sometime. Gerry runs the supply line then adds a weight that will pull it though as soon as the sink is installed. He also fits the shut-off valves and tightens them in place so that water can be shut off at the site without needing to turn off service to the entire house.

Carlos Leuchtmann of Blue Ridge Plumbing joins Bob to install the Moen Kingsley faucet and handles. Leuchtmann begins with the quick-connect lock tab to install the hose lines to the faucet system from underneath. The quick-connect ends make installation easy since all you do is push and connect. Each connection seals itself. The hose provided with the system leaves plenty of play for the location of the handles. Once connected, the vanity top and undermount sink are set on the vanity and readied for the hookup. The faucet is a press-on design that screws on from the top with an Allen wrench that comes with the faucet. The fixture is easy to install and to change, a feature that favors the replacement market. The handles just twist on. As the fittings have already been set by Leuchtmann according to the homeowners' wishes, he needs only screw them on. Before installing faucet handles, Leuchtmann always checks with customers to see whether they prefer their handles straight or angled.

Replace an existing single-handle faucet with a new model that matches your sink configuration.

The Franke tri-flow Corinthian faucet is being installed now that the countertop and sink are in place. The faucet features hot, cold, and filtered water. The filtration chamber has a ceramic porcelain exterior with an extruded carbon filter inside. Franke recommends that homeowners change the filters every six months. Frank Lowry of FJ Lowry Plumbing and Heating installs the faucet from underneath. The lines come dropped down and ready to attach, which makes it easy. Lowry installs the filtration system and attaches it to a wall-mounted holder. Luke Groden from Boston Basins, a Franke distributor, shows Bob the specialized ball valve with a shutoff to make filter changes simple. The braided hose that attaches the filter to the faucet has a pressure fitting that grips with stainless-steel teeth inside to withstand high water pressure without pulling apart or leaking. Lowry attaches the hoses to the filter, then solders the hot and cold points underneath.

Mario Taormina of N. Pagano Plumbing installs the Toto pedestal sink in the bathroom of the Manhattan Brownstone. Taormina stresses that the first step is to shut off the water and drain any pipes. He then begins by removing the nipple caps and marking the outside of the temporary nipples or short lengths of pipe to show where the wall line is located. He then removes these temparary nipples and checks them against the permanent nipples to verify that they are the right length. Each end of the tubing is wrapped in Teflon tape for a tight fit. The fittings are then hand-tightened in place and checked before being tightened with a wrench. Taormina sets the pedestal and sink bowl in place to mark the support holes from the sink onto the wall. He then drills the holes and sets the anchors in the wall. The Toto faucet is installed on the sink bowl before it is set in place. first Taromina installs the faucets and spout that are designed with multiple rubber seals so that no putty is needed. He then attaches the supply spindles and diverter tee. The neoprene gaskets in the spindle connections make for a long-lasting, leak-free fit. The drain is the one place where Taormina insists on using putty. He ends with the waste pipe that will sit inside of the pedestal. Taormina installs the code-specified P-trap that prevents sewer gas backup in New York City plumbing installations.

Carlos Leuchtmann of Blue Ridge Plumbing installs the Moen filter faucet in the kitchen. Unlike other filters, the Moen faucet has the filter cartridge right in the spout. A three-volt lithium watch battery is popped into the housing, then the cartidge fits in, and the entire assembly slides into the faucet and locks in place with a quarter turn. The battery enables the filter light to tell homeowners when the filter needs changing. The black nose piece on the front of the faucet is the filter button. When pushed, filtered water comes out a separate small spout alongside the main water spout. It only filters water when pushed. The package comes with a spare filter for easy changing.

Bob meets Steve Bottazzi, a plumbing contractor. Steve is installing a lavatory in a vanity by installing the faucet on the lav first, then putting the trap on the lav, and finally placing the sink on the vanity and making all the proper connections.