It’s hard to think that any family in the US has ever had to live without hot water, a bathtub, or a toilet that flushed. The fact is that back in the 1940s, half the homes in America were not equipped with any of the three simultaneously. If you had all three, it was considered a plumbing luxury. If you stop to think, 1940 wasn’t that long ago. Some of us have parents and grandparents that are older than that, even the telephone was a luxury item then. Those that could afford them had them in every room, including the bathroom. Are you kidding me Americans?! We’re obsessing over phones, that would never happen :-).
Just Before The Turn Of The Century, Everything Was Being Super-Sized
Of course, that’s no longer the case anymore, but our homes have grown along with our bathrooms. According to the Census Bureau who has gathered detailed information on Americans and how they live, new homes grew 50% larger from 1970 to 2000. The latest results released in 2015 showed the size of new homes reached an all-time high – 2,687 square feet. Median size homes also reached an all-time high – 2,467 square feet. Many people born before 1970 might remember how small homes were and before you knew it, everything was getting super-sized.
Baby Boomers were Used To Waiting
Things were much simpler. We had no reviews, or reviews were word of mouth. And boy, did word travel fast, though not as fast as our laptops or smartphones. People would say, “Can you give me a couple of references?” when they needed services. Baby boomers were a little more patient because they never had the technology until later on. We were just used to waiting. Now we get angry if our internet’s slow.
Here’s how homes have grown:
The average single-family home in 1940 was 1,177 square feet. By 1970 that number rose to 1,500 square feet, and in 2000 that number increased to 2,266. By 2015 it went up to 2,467. Here’ what’s so interesting. While the home has almost doubled in size over the years, the family size has hit a new record low from 3.01 to 2.54 persons per household.
A Toilet That Flushes – A Bathtub, & Hot Water Are No Longer A Plumbing Luxury
Remember when I told you that less than half the homes in the 1940s didn’t have hot water, a bathtub, or a toilet that flushed. That number has jumped to 99% of all households in America have all three features. It would be really interesting to learn why that 1% still exists. Compared to the rest of the world, more than half the world still does not have a toilet that flushes. Furthermore, 1.6 million Americans still do not have indoor plumbing. According to the Washington Post, two million Americans still do not have running water.
Here is an interesting fact about our toilets
Between 1980 and 1992, household toilets used 2.5 to 3.6 gallon per flush (GPF), that meant the average homeowner was using up to 18.8 gallons of water every day. A toilet manufactured prior to 1980 may use between 5 and 8 GPF, which equates to each resident flushing 48 gallons of water down the toilet daily. By comparison, a toilet constructed by 1992 standards consumes 1.6 GPF, while the average flusher consumes approximately 9.1 gallons of water daily.
Big B’s Plumbing, Staying On The Cutting Edge Of New Plumbing Technology
We now have plumbing luxuries such as water heaters that heat up instantly, and they’re tankless. You can replace a sewer line without digging up the landscape. Water pressure can clear a clogged drain using Hydro Jetting. A camera can inspect pipes, and sound waves can detect a leak. Additionally, we have faucets that respond to your voice and toilets that light up in the dark. You can even buy a device that will tell you if your pipes are leaking. Plumbing technology has come a long way over the last 60 years, and Big B’s Plumbing always stays on the cutting edge of new plumbing technology, and that includes outstanding service.
