Household water use increases as the weather warms up. Whether you're washing dirt off the kids or the dog, watering your lawn and your plants or washing the car or your windows, spring and summer mean higher water bills. If you want to use less water during the sunny seasons, don't fret. Saving money on your water bill doesn't have to mean cutting down on family fun.
1) Be smart When Watering Your Lawn
Maintaining a green lawn during summer heat can be a challenge if you're concerned about wasting water. Turn on your sprinklers in the early morning or after sunset to reduce water loss through evaporation. Even better, replace your lawn with xeriscaping, which uses drought-resistant native plants to create an attractive yard.
2) Replace Your Garden Hose or Watering Can with Soaker Hoses or Drip Irrigation
Your flowers, plants, shrubs and homegrown fruit and vegetables get thirsty quickly in the heat. Save water and time by installing soaker hoses or a drip irrigation system to deliver water right where it's needed at the plant roots.
3) Collect Water for Your Garden in a Rain Barrel
Your garden plants will appreciate the untreated water from a rain barrel. Fit a simple diverter from a drainpipe to a barrel to collect rain water before it disappears into the drain. Cover the barrel with a lid to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
4) Install Low-Flush Toilets and Volume Shower Heads and Faucets
Sustainable plumbing appliances use special spray patterns, higher pressure, aerators and concentrated streams of water to reduce water use while maintaining efficiency. What's more, you'll save money on energy bills because you'll be using less energy to heat water.
5) Reuse Your Household Water
Allowing only slightly dirty water to flow away down the drain is a waste. Collect water from baths and showers and rinse water from your washing machine, and use it to flush the toilet and wash your car. If you use ecologically-friendly washing products, you can also use this grey water to water your yard.
6) Replace Your Old Washing Machine
Modern front-loading washing machines use less water and energy, ultimately saving money. If you have a top-loading washing machine, you can save 16 gallons of water per load by replacing it with a front-loading appliance.
7) Install a Water Meter
Few things can make you or your family more conscious of your water consumption than the spinning dials of a water meter. When all your water-saving strategies are in place, watch your savings add up as your water use goes down.
Expensive water bills aren't inevitable this summer. Reduce water use in your garden and home, upgrade your plumbing appliances and reuse grey water to cut down household water expenses.
For answers to your water-saving questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
