Saving Water: Simple Strategies for Your Home

Posted on May 20, 2013 in Water Conservation by Chris Keenan 0 Comments

The average American home uses more than 250 gallons of water each day. By implementing a few simple tips, it is possible to cut back on the amount of water you use, helping both the Earth and your wallet at the same time. The following strategies will get you started.

Conserving Water In The Kitchen

When washing dishes in the sink, turn the water off after getting the item sufficiently wet. Allowing the water to run is a waste, and it isn’t necessary. One strategy, if you have two sinks, is to keep soapy water in one area and rinse water in the other. This is not only efficient, but it will save water as well.

Check your kitchen regularly for water leaks. Inspect both your faucet and the pipes at least twice a month; leaks usually aren’t very expensive to fix, but if they are not taken care of as soon as possible, they can cause big problems over time. Not only will your water bill increase, but a number of pests are attracted to damp areas, which means you may have to enlist the services of a Los Angeles pest control technician.

Wait to run your dishwasher until it is completely full. The average dishwasher uses approximately 17 gallons of water. If you get in the habit of running loads that are half full, your water usage will increase substantially.

Strategies For The Bathroom

Take a shower and time your routine. For every minute that you spend standing under the shower head, around seven gallons of water is washed down the drain. Commit yourself to reducing the amount of time it takes you to get clean; even shaving just two or three minutes off your time can make a difference. Swapping a shower for a bath every now and then is also a good idea.

Once a month, add a bit of food coloring to your toilet tank. If the color seeps down into your bowl, you know you have a leak. In many cases, these leaks are silent. Without taking this step, you will never know there is a problem. Nearly 100 gallons of water can be wasted each day as a result, so it is important to recognize and fix a toilet leak as soon as possible.

Never let the water run when you are brushing your teeth. Keep a cup by the sink and fill it with a little water while you are wetting your brush. Dip the toothbrush into the cup to rinse it as you follow through with the cleaning process.

Taking steps to conserve water at home does not have to be difficult. Implement the strategies above, and you will see a big difference in your monthly water bill.