4 Tips to Help You Avoid Wasting Water in Your Home

Saving water is a noble goal that's good for both the environment and your monthly bill. Unfortunately, reducing water waste is a more difficult task than you might expect, since water is so ever-present in our lives. Here are four tips that will get you on the right track to reducing wasted water in your home.

1. Always Wash Full Loads of Laundry and Dishes

Dirty clothes and dishes can quickly become a source of stress as they pile up. While many people get in the habit of washing laundry and dirty dishes as quickly as they appear, this practice can unfortunately increase your monthly water usage by a significant margin. Filling your dishwasher and clothes washer to their max capacity with each use is an easy way to reduce water usage, and it even results in less work for you.

2. Address Plumbing Leaks as Soon as Possible

Before you think about saving water by upgrading your plumbing, you need to be sure that your plumbing is free of leaks. Leaky plumbing will account for a far greater amount of wasted water than outdated plumbing. The EPA estimates that ten percent of homes could have leaks that waste 90 gallons of water or more per day.

Repairing hidden plumbing leaks in your home is first a matter of locating them. Leaks that occur in pipes behind your walls may only be detectable at first by a musty odor or the sound of running or dripping water. Looking out for these subtle warning signs - and calling a plumber can help you avoid unsightly water stains and mold infestations in your walls.

Other common culprits behind high water waste in the home are worn faucet washers, worn toilet flappers, and leaks in supply lines to water-using appliances such as dishwashers. Above all, remember to keep an eye on your water meter and your water bill, and consider calling a plumber if your meter or bills are on the rise without any apparent cause.

3. Invest in Low-Flow Fixtures

Homeowners living in homes built before the 1990s may stand to benefit the most from upgrading their plumbing fixtures. Fixtures in these homes were installed before the EPA regulated flow rates on faucets, toilets, and showerheads. For example, toilets made after 1994 are limited to a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush, while older toilets may use between 3.5 and 7 gallons per flush.

You'll be glad to know that you don't have to sacrifice comfort if you switch to low-flow plumbing fixtures. Advances in technology have provided ways to reduce water usage in faucets and showerheads without sacrificing the water pressure enjoyed by the user. Aerators are the most popular example; they function by forcing water through a mesh to inject air and create powerful, thin streams of water.

4. Reuse Water When Possible

If you want to go the extra mile to reduce water waste in your home, develop a plan for actively reusing water instead of letting it go down the drain. This can include collecting everything, from cooking water and drinking water to water from baths and showers. You can often repurpose this water for irrigating your lawn or washing your vehicle.

For a more automated method of reusing water, install a grey water collection system to recycle the water from appliances such as your clothes washer and dishwasher. However, be sure to check your local regulations before installing this system.

Reducing water waste in your home doesn't always require a high up-front investment. Keep these tips in mind to start reducing wasted water, and follow Daytona Plumbing for more useful home plumbing tips.