How To: Save Water All Over the House!
Anywhere you regularly use water, there’s a good chance there’s something you can do to reduce your use. There are three areas of the home you can make changes with the most impact: the bathroom, the kitchen and the garden. If you’re looking for small ways you can save money and help the environment, put these tips into practice and you’ll be on your way!
IN THE BATHROOM:
*Be a faucet aggressor: watch the faucet like a hawk and do not allow members of your family to run the water during times not in use. Be careful not to step away from the faucet leaving it running while you try to quickly retrieve something from another room. Always turn the water off when not in use!
*Go low-flow: take a look at both your shower head and faucet to determine they are modern fixtures which will allow low-flow and meet your water pressure needs at the same time
*Shower>Bath: a shower is better for conserving water rather than a bath. It typically takes a standard bathtub 30 gallons to fill up rather than a 10 minute shower which should only use 25 gallons. By making this simple change to convert to showers or even lower your amount of bath consumptions to showers you will begin seeing a difference on your water bill.
*Test for toilet leaks: sometimes toilet leaks can be so small and dry quickly that you don’t even notice there is a leak. To test if your toilet has a leak add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank, wait an hour or so then check back to see if there are any colored streaks of water.
IN THE KITCHEN:
*Choose the dishwasher: washing dishes by hand takes more effort and uses more water! Save yourself some energy and wash your dishes in the dishwasher. Just make sure you have a full load of dishes to run before you start the cycle!
*Upgrade your dishwasher: It’s nearly 2017! Nearly everything is smart now days. A smart dishwasher is energy efficient and can help you save money and water in each cycle.
*Say yes to the garbage can: say no to the garbage disposal! By using the garbage can instead of the garbage disposal you’ll save water since the disposal requires water to run in the first place. Save the really stinky items for the garbage disposal and save everything else for the garbage can.
*Go low-flow again: just like in the bathroom, you can go low-flow in the kitchen as well!
IN THE GARDEN:
*Put your recycled water to use: instead of reaching for the hose you can save water in your garden by using recycled water! Set up a rain barrel beneath your downspout and use the water caught to water your garden.
*Choose native plants: choosing plants native to your region can help you save water in your garden. If you choose a plant that is typically raised in a wet climate but you live in a dry hot area you will definitely go through a lot of water!
*Lock moisture into your soul: you can help lock in the water in your garden by using groundcover or spreading mulch. Both of these options will help hold water in the soil for a longer time.
Hopefully the tips we provided here will be small enough fixes so you can easily put them into practice and begin saving money. For any HVAC or plumbing repairs, installations, or pest solutions give us a call. Like always, the #BELOMAN is here to help! For all of your HVAC & plumbing needs give us a call at (618) BEL-O MAN or visit our website here! BELIEVE IN THE BELOMAN WAY! We’re the only HVAC and plumbing company in the Metro East to receive the Better Business Bureau TORCH Award for ethics. The award honors excellent commitment to customer service through exceptional standards for ethical business practices.
