Homeowners are always looking for ways to save money around the house. And one of the easiest ways to do that and help the planet is by following a few simple water conservation tips. Not only will you reduce your water bill each month, but you will also be helping to conserve a vital yet limited natural resource. And who better to offer tips about saving water than your trusted plumber?

Saving Water In The Kitchen

Using your dishwasher can be a great way to save water and valuable time. But the secret to getting the most out of this tip is only washing a full load of dirty dishes. An ENERGY STAR dishwasher washes a full load with around 5-7 gallons of water. By comparison, hand washing used exponentially more water to complete the same task. The average kitchen faucet uses 2.2 gallons of water per minute. So unless you can wash a sink full of dishes in under 3.5 minutes, you waste water doing the dishes by hand. If you do need to clean a few items by hand, be sure to use a dishpan to get the most cleaning from the soap water you are making.  

Saving Water In The Laundry Room

Just like your dishwasher, your clothes washer is far more efficient than hand washing. But you must commit to only washing a full load of clothes or adjusting the water setting to fit the size of the load you are cleaning. And if you must hand wash a few items, be sure to use a bucket or dishpan to help conserve water.

To save much frustration and prevent a massive waste of water, regularly inspect the hoses on your washing machine. As they age, these rubber or plastic hoses can become brittle or stretched. When this happens, you are sure to experience a failure and flood very soon. Avoid the waste and mess by proactively replacing the hoses as needed.

Saving Water In The Bathroom

According to the US Department of Energy, installing a low-flow showerhead will reduce the water used for showers by up to 60%. These showerheads inject air into the water to get more cleaning and rinsing power from less water. So you will never notice a difference in the water pressure or effectiveness.

Toilets use a massive amount of water to flush away waste. Older toilets can consume up to seven gallons of water per flush. But converting to a low-flow toilet will drop that number to 1.6 gallons or less. Saving five gallons per flush over a day could add up to about 50 gallons of water saved or more.

Finally, turning the water off while you brush your teeth will save around two gallons per minute. For a family of five, with each person brushing for about three minutes a day total, you will save about 30 gallons of water each day or almost 11,000 gallons a year.

Look For Leaks

It can be hard to notice a slight change in your home’s water pressure. But if you make a routine inspection once a month, it can be easy to locate any small leaks. Look under sinks, near outside water spigots, near the water heater, under the fridge if it has a water dispenser, and around your dishwasher and washing machine. Catching these leaks when they are small will save water and a lot of costly water damage repairs.

To learn more about saving water around your home, call (505) 308-2776. The pros at All-Out Plumbing & Mechanical will offer advice about reducing your water bill and avoiding costly water leaks in your home.