One Ohio homeowner claims that his water use dropped from 216,000 gallons to 151,000 gallons per year after installing Ultra-Flow's one-line plumbing system. The reason, says company spokesman Doug Didion, is the nature of the system itself. Single-line systems eliminate faucet valves in favor of a central valve unit installed next to the water heater. All water mixing is done at the central unit rather than at the sink or shower. A separate run of flexible tubing, with an outside diameter of 3/8-in. or 1/2-in., runs from the valve to each faucet. This means that water gets to the faucet faster than with conventional plumbing. (Didion says that a sink that is 30 ft. from the valve will get water that is the right temperature three to four seconds after it is called for.) Tubing and controls for an average house with a kitchen sink, two lavatories, and two showers will cost around $1800. Installation typically takes 10 to 15 hours, depending on the installer's experience.

The company has recently made the system easier by replacing its traditional electromechanical control with a new solid-state LCD panel. The low voltage control, which is mounted at each faucet location, uses ordinary telephone wire to communicate with the mixing unit. It also includes a safety feature that requires the user to push the button twice within three seconds to get hot water, as well as a timer that will let the homeowner set a time for the faucet to automatically shut off.

Editor's Note: Ultraflo Corporation can no longer be reached.