If you are thinking about your New Year’s Resolution for the coming year, you might want to think about a pledge to save water. As a limited natural resource, it is a necessity of life and one that everyone could be a little more careful with around the house. In addition, using some creative water-saving techniques could help you reduce your monthly water bill without feeling like you have made any real sacrifices or changes to your lifestyle.
There are a few key areas to focus on when you want to conserve water around your home, including:
DISHWASHING
- Install a new Energy Star dishwasher that will use less water per wash cycle and less energy to operate the machine for double savings.
- Only wash full loads of dishes to get the most benefit from the 4 to 6 gallons of water used for a complete wash cycle in most machines.
- Limit handwashing of dishes as it can use up to 10 times the water needed to wash the same number of dishes in a dishwasher.
- When you must hand wash, fill a sink with clean water for rinsing rather than leaving the faucet running.
SHOWERING
- Install a low-flow showerhead to reduce the water used per shower significantly.
- Shorten shower times to save more water- a five-minute shower uses only 12.5 gallons of water with a low-flow showerhead.
- If you want to enjoy a longer bath, settle into a half-full tub to enjoy the water as long as you like.
FAUCETS
- Repair any leaking faucets or dripping faucets in your home to save up to 3,000 gallons of water a year.
- Install low-flow faucets to save around 30% of the water used at each sink.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth to save up to 5 gallons of water per person per day.
LAUNDRY
- Install an Energy Star washing machine to reduce the water used per load from around 40 gallons to as little as 15 per load.
- You will also save about 25% on the energy cost to operate the Energy Star washing machine.
- Only wash full loads of laundry to maximize the cleaning of each gallon of water used.
- Wash in cold water using cold water laundry detergent to eliminate the cost of heating the water and reduce the damage done to your clothes and linens by washing in hot water.
OUTSIDE
- Check for water leaks in sprinkler systems and at garden hoses and hose bibs to eliminate water waste.
- Take your car to a car wash rather than washing it at home. Drive-through car washes use only a fraction of the water used to wash a car at home, and many facilities have machines to purify and recycle the water from the carwash.
If you have concerns about any water leaks or waste in your home, call (701) 402-6442 to schedule an appointment with a Total Care Plumbing licensed expert. Our team will locate any leaks and provide cost-effective solutions for their repair.
