Water is a precious commodity, especially for those living in the desert. It’s important to make sure that we are being resourceful with water use. This not only helps the environment, but it helps save on your water bill. Here’s some of the ways that you could be wasting water and what you can do to be more efficient with water use.
1. Taking Too Long in the Shower
Every time you jump in the shower, remember that you are using about 2 gallons of water per minute. That means that an 8-minute shower could use up to 16 gallons if not more. When you are in the shower, be mindful of how long you are taking and find ways to shorten your shower time.
2. Using Your Toilet As a Trash Can
Your toilet has been designed for your bodily waste and toilet paper. However, people have the habit using the toilet for dumping liquids or soft paper trash. Avoid doing this as your toilet will need to use more water to flush these products down and this is not good for your pipes. This habit can often create clogs in your pipes, leading to more expensive repairs down the road.
3. Leaky Faucets and Pipes
If you have leaky faucets and pipes in your home, it is a good idea to get those repaired as soon as possible. Your home could be wasting thousands of gallons of water each year because of leaky pipes or faucets.
4. Keeping Your Water Running While Washing Dishes or Brushing Teeth
When you are washing dishes or brushing your teeth, be mindful of your water use. If your faucet doesn’t need to be running then turn it off. When you are washing dishes, turn your water off while you are scrubbing your dishes and then turn it back on when you are rinsing them off. When you are brushing your teeth, quickly run your toothbrush under the faucet and then turn off the water. When you are finished brushing your teeth, turn your faucet on again to wash down your sink.
5. Not Upgrading Your Plumbing Fixtures
As time has gone on, plumbing fixtures have become much more efficient with water as well. From low flow toilets to low flow showerheads, it is impressive to see how much water these fixtures have been able to save. If you have not upgraded your plumbing fixtures in a few years, it may be time. You will be amazed with how much water these fixtures are able to save.
Talk to a Plumber About Your Water Use
If you have noticed that your water bill is a bit high, it may be a clever idea to talk to a plumber. They can do an inspection of your home to check for any leaky pipes and fixtures and then do any repairs. They can also help you install more water efficient fixtures so that you can save more water. Give us a call and we will see how we can help you become more efficient with your water use.