Water conservation should be a top priority for every homeowner!
By using less water, not only are you saving money by reducing your utility bill, you’re protecting both your home and the environment.
Condo, apartment, or house, no matter your living situation, there are a variety of things you can do by checking different sections in your home.
Checking And Preventing Leaks
Often than not, household leaks go unnoticed. The average household’s leak accounts for 10,000 gallons of wasted water. Additionally, 10 percent of homes experience leaks wasting 90 gallons of water each day.
Common locations for leaks often found at home are toilets, faucets, and valves. These leaks are easy to fix yourself, only requiring a few tools most households would likely have.
By fixing leaks of this type, homeowners can save homeowners approximately 10 percent on their hydro bill.
Some tips on finding leaks:
- Observe water usage during the various seasons. If you notice your water usage during the winter months exceeds what an individual or a family would use per month, there is likely a leak.
- Check and compare the readings on your water meter after shutting off all indoor and outdoor water. If there are any changes on your meter, you likely have a leak.
- To see if your toilet is leaking, use food coloring in the toilet tank. You can find dye test tablets at your local hardware store, which you could also use. Do not flush. After 10 minutes, if color dye is visible in the bowl, you have a leak.
Preventing leaks can also save you money and future headache:
- Insulate water pipes susceptible to freezing. Especially pipes located near outdoor walls, basements, crawl spaces, the attic and garage.
- Seal air leaks and cracks around pipes, electrical wiring and dryer vents to keep your pipes from freezing.
Leaks are also most likely to occur with older plumbing fixtures. Worn-down toilet flappers, faucet gaskets, and leaky shower heads are the usual culprits. If you have older plumbing fixtures, it would be best to have these individual parts checked out and replaced immediately to resolve your water woes.
Quick tip: Bring the old flapper along with you to your local hardware store when purchasing a new one to ensure a proper fit for your toilet model.
Install Water-Efficient Plumbing Fixtures
Still experiencing leaks? Then it might be time to replace your leaking plumbing fixtures.
One of the easiest ways to save both water and money is to install water-efficient plumbing fixtures. Doing so will reduce the chances of a plumbing leak from occurring alongside the benefits of efficient water use.
Consider WaterSense and ENERGY STAR labeled products when replacing your plumbing fixtures and appliances. WaterSense products are EPA certified to use 20 percent[1]https://www.epa.gov/watersense/about-watersense less water, meeting efficiency and performance standards.
In a study, the EPA reveals that the average family spends close to $1,100 per year in water costs, but can save close to $350 by installing WaterSense labeled fixtures alongside ENERGY STAR qualified appliances [2]https://www.epa.gov/watersense/start-saving .
A full-size ENERGY STAR certified washing machine uses 13 gallons of water each load, compared to the 23 used by standard machines.
Need help installing your new plumbing fixture or appliance? We’ve got your back! Contact True Service Plumbing for all your plumbing fixture/appliance installation needs.
Conscious Water Use
Adapting a more conscious mindset with your water usage will help drive costs down.
There is a lot you can do in your home to reduce water use and become more efficient.
Here are a few tips:
- Turn off the water while brushing/shaving.
- Take a short shower, as showers generally use less water than baths.
- Use a wash basin or plug the sink if you wash your dishes by hand.
- While cooking, use a bowl of water instead of running veggies under the faucet.
- If you have a dishwasher, load the dishwasher to max before use.
- Only wash when you have a full load of laundry or buy an ENERGY STAR model which can adjust to load size.
- Have an outdoor garden? Consider water efficient plants, trees, and vegetables. Plant native species, as they are low maintenance and drought tolerant.
Save More With True Service Plumbing
Considering a new toilet, faucet, or showerhead? Have a leak that just doesn’t seem to go away? Time to call True Service.
Our licensed plumbers are more than happy to assist you with all your plumbing difficulties, no matter the task. From plumbing repairs, fixture and appliance installation, we’ll get it done quick, easy, and pain free!
Contact True Service Plumbing today to schedule a free estimate and consultation.
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