Water is an indispensable part of our daily lives. From the time we wake up to the time we go to bed at night, we use water. And because using water is embedded in our daily routines, we sometimes don’t realize how much water we are using.
According to epa.gov, the average American family uses over 300 gallons of water per day. Roughly 70 percent of this comes from indoor activities. It’s no surprise, considering we use water in a lot of our daily activities— from brushing our teeth to washing our clothes—but many do not realize that water is a finite source. In this article, we have rounded up super easy ways you can save water and money at home:
1. Some leaks are invisible. Check your bills for any sudden changes. If there was no change in your water consumption but your bill is showing a huge difference, you probably have a plumbing leak. The best way to get to the bottom of this is to call in a professional plumber for inspection and repair, however, for toilets, you can do the leak test.
To check for leaks, put a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank. If after a few minutes the bowl remains clear, then your toilet is not leaking. But if you see a hint of color from the food dye in the bowl, it’s time for a leak repair. This is something you may want to get done immediately, as simple leaks could result in gallons of water waste a day.
2. When selecting plants, choose ones that are drought-tolerant. These plants are not always thirsty and can survive days without water.
3. When the temperature is high, water evaporates quickly. To avoid this, water your yard early in the morning or in the evening. This way, water will stay longer in the soil, nurturing your thirsty plants.
4. Be sure you are watering the plants and not the sidewalk! Talk to your local landscaping company for efficient irrigation options. Sprinklers and drip irrigation systems are some ways you can ensure that the water is efficiently used in your yard.
5. Eliminate thousands of gallons of water waste by replacing your old showerheads, toilets, faucets, or washing machine with newer, more water-efficient models. This may cost a little upfront, but it will be worth it.
6. Take short showers. Did you know that cutting just two minutes off your shower time can help you save up to 1,700 gallons of water per person in your household annually? Amazing, right?
Don’t forget to turn the tap off while you soap, shave, or brush your teeth. This is a very easy thing to do, but many people forget.
7. Skip hand washing your dishes. Hand Washing dishes can use over 20 gallons of water. Meanwhile, an Energy Star-rated dishwasher only uses around 3 gallons. Your hands and wallet will thank you!
8. Reuse the water you washed your vegetables or rice with. It can be used to water your plants. Also, collect the rainwater that streams off your roof. You can then reuse this collected water for your garden or for cleaning.
9. Go to the carwash instead of washing the car yourself. Washing a car with a hose or a bucket can use up to 100 gallons of water, plus, it requires time and effort. On the other hand, car washes are quicker and more water-efficient, using only around 40 gallons of water per car.
10. Go over your bill from time to time to not just check the amount due, but also understand how much water you used. EPA has published a helpful article explaining how to read a water bill.
Saving water is not only good for your wallet, but it’s also beneficial to the environment. Water waste occurs around the world daily but any small act of water conservation can make significant changes.
See our other blog articles for more home improvement tips. And if you are in urgent need of cash and don’t have the time to work on home improvement projects, talk to us about selling your home fast for cash. Call 800-976-SOLD now!