Utility costs can be a huge portion of your household budget. But if you’re savvy, you can find ways to reduce spending on utilities like your water by modifying your household plumbing.

One way to do that is by investing in smart plumbing devices.

Here are some gadgets that will save you both water and money!

Smart faucets: Ever stand at the sink and fiddle with the hot and cold water handles, trying to get the temperature just right? It’s a way we often waste water without even realizing it. But smart faucets, with efficiency sensors and temperature gauges, will help you and other members of your family reduce your water use.

The features available for smart faucets run the gamut, from motion sensors, water flow regulation, and more. The most popular feature tends to be the touchless motion sensor feature, which keeps the faucet surfaces clean, as well as the leak detection feature.

Smart sprinklers: In certain parts of the country, droughts are causing water usage restrictions as well as big jumps in rates. One of the first places where people look to cut back in household plumbing use is in their irrigation system. Enter the smart sprinkler.

One such device is the Iro, sold by the company Rachio. The Iro claims to save homeowners up to 30 percent on their irrigation costs, with commensurate water savings as well. It works by monitoring the weather conditions and adjusting sprinkler settings automatically, sending out a little more water in hot, dry conditions but cutting back or even shutting the sprinklers off altogether when the weather is cooler and wetter. The device also collects data about consumption and allows you to monitor and control the whole system from your phone.

Smart water heaters: No one likes a cold shower. But if you want to reduce your spending on hot water, first you need to understand when and how you are using your water heater. That's where heaters that have smart monitoring capabilities, like the EcoNet by Rheem, come in.

The EcoNet shows you when you are using hot water and provides data to allow you to calibrate the optimal temperature to keep your showers comfortable while reducing energy costs. It also lets you know when the heater is not performing optimally and alerts you to leaks so you can seek repairs right away.

Smart meters: The latest technological innovation in leak prevention -- smart water meters -- can detect new leaks within minutes, sending alerts directly to your smartphone. Most models can even allow the main water supply to be shut down with the tap of a button, even from thousands of miles away, preventing catastrophic damage in the time it takes for a plumber to arrive and make repairs.

Once installed, a smart water meter can conduct pressure tests on a daily schedule or on-demand. These tests are capable of detecting even tiny leaks, allowing you to find and fix the problem long before mold growth or structural damage become concerns.

Smart water meters are installed directly to your main water line. You should factor professional installation by a licensed plumber into the overall cost.

Perhaps most importantly, smart water meters can be programmed to shut off your home’s entire water system as soon as a catastrophic water leak is detected, giving you peace of mind while you’re away from home.

The most sophisticated smart water meters can even help you track your water consumption and break it down among the individual fixtures and appliances in your home. If you’re trying to conserve water, the data generated through this process can help you make smarter decisions about where to prioritize your water reduction.

Smart plumbing gadgets are relatively new technology, so you may need a hand figuring out how to get the most from them. If you need new faucets installed or any other work on your fixture plumbing, get in touch with a qualified plumbing professional today. Contact us at 1-877-BEN-1776!