Water Conservation at Home

Excerpt: Conserving water at home doesn’t mean making significant changes to your lifestyle. Just a few small steps will allow you to enjoy lower water bills along with the knowledge that you’re protecting your local and global environment.

Taking steps to conserve water at home has many benefits. Lower water usage places less overall strain on your home’s plumbing and septic system. You’ll also enjoy the financial savings that come with lower monthly water consumption. Just a few simple changes in the way you use water at home can make a big difference in ongoing efforts to preserve this precious natural resource.

Installing Low-Flow Fixtures

Today, there are many options to reduce your water usage every time you spin the tap. Low-flow showerheads maintain comfortable water pressure while restricting the flow of water through the fixture to three gallons of water per minute or less. By contrast, an older showerhead can use seven gallons of water per minute or more! Switching to a low-flow showerhead doesn’t change the comfort level of your shower, but can save 55 gallons over the course of every ten-minute shower you take. Faucet aerators are small metal rings that screw directly into the opening of sink faucets to reduce the water flow through these fixtures as well. Aerators mix incoming water with air, preserving water pressure while limiting water usage in sinks to between 0.5 and 2.5 gallons per minute

Washing Full Loads

Appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines make modern life easier. These appliances are also areas of your home where you can make a small effort to save water and reap big rewards. Avoid using your dishwasher or washing machine until you have a full load of dishes or laundry to clean. Washing dishes or laundry when only half of the appliance is full uses more water than is necessary, essentially wasting water and flushing both money and natural resources right down the drain. If your washing machine offers customizable load sizes, such as small, medium, and large, make sure to set the dial properly so less water is used when you must wash a smaller load.

Address Leaks Immediately

Do you suspect your home has a pesky leak? If so, don’t wait—contact your plumber to handle the situation immediately, rather than allowing the leak to persist. Even small leaks can add up to a large amount of wasted water very quickly, costing you money and wasting valuable water you could be using for essential household needs. Dripping faucets, running toilets, and cracked pipes can waste hundreds to thousands of gallons of water each year, running up your water bill unnecessarily. A single visit from your plumber can fix small leaks and other issues in a matter of hours to prevent wasting any additional water and reduce your utility costs immediately.

Making changes in your home and habits to save water could be easier than you think! Your Santa Rosa plumber can help you in your efforts to reduce home water waste for a healthier plumbing system and a healthier planet. Check out our blog for more home plumbing advice, or visit us on the web to contact a plumber and explore our Sonoma County plumbing services online.