With droughts becoming more frequent and widespread throughout the United States, it’s important for homeowners to proactively reduce their water usage. Conserving water promotes a cleaner environment while saving homeowners money on their monthly water bills in the process. Consider the following tips for saving water at home during summer.
1. Water Grass in the Morning
Rather than watering your lawn during the midday summer sun, water it in the early morning hours so the moisture doesn’t evaporate from the sun’s heat. And considering that most lawn grasses just need 1 inch of water per week during summer, this alone is a powerful tip for saving water at home during summer.
2. Turn Off Faucet When Brushing Teeth
Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. Although it sounds minor, running the faucet for just two or three minutes each time you brush will increase your home’s water usage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), turning off the faucet when brushing saves about 8 gallons of water per day.
3. Choose a Low-Flow Showerhead
Replacing your showerhead with a low-flow model will help you conserve water when showering. Standard showerheads use about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Low-flow showerheads, however, use 2 gallons or less per minute.
4. Don’t Wash Your Car at Home
Washing your car at home instead of driving to a local car wash may sound like a smart way to save money, but you may end up paying more in monthly water bills. Garden hoses use around 10 gallons of water per minute. Therefore, washing your car for 20 minutes can use up to 200 gallons.
5. Wait for Full Loads
Another tip for saving water at home during summer is to wait until you have full loads for the washing machine and dishwasher. Washing a full load is more efficient because of the proportions of water used compared to how much gets washed. Also, a dishwasher uses less water than handwashing, so you’ll save water with less work!
6. Repair Leaks
Perform a visual inspection of your bathrooms, attic, and basement or crawlspace and look for leaks. A leaky pipe or faucet cause a spike in your monthly water bills. In fact, the EPA says a faucet with a minor leak uses around 3,000 gallons of water per year. If you discover any leaks, either fix them yourself or hire a professional plumber.
7. Make Saving Water at Home During Summer a Family Activity
Saving water at home during summer isn’t a one-person task; it requires the entire family. Even if you make the necessary lifestyle changes to conserve and reduce water, it won’t make a noticeable impact on your water bills unless everyone in your house does so as well.
You can’t control the cost or availability of water, but you can control the amount that you use. Following these tips will help you save water at home all summer long!
1st Alert Home Inspections provides home inspection services including water quality testing. Contact us to schedule an appointment.