Three Essential Things to Do to Save Water at Home
Clean water is a limited resource and many are increasingly aware of this due to the water problems Flint has experienced in recent years. While this alone may be enough to encourage you to find ways to save water at home, you may also want to reduce water consumption in an effort to save money on your utility bills. If you are serious about conserving water, consider making a few home improvements to get impressive results.
Find New Ways to Save Water at Home
If you are like many others who have been interested in reducing water consumption, you may have tried to save water at home by adjusting bathroom habits. For example, you may now turn off the water while you brush your teeth and limit your time in the shower each day.
When you and everyone in your home makes these adjustments you can save a substantial amount of water over the course of a year. However, you may now be looking for a new way to save water at home so that you can enjoy even better results. If you are ready to save more water, consider making these home improvements in the near future.
1. Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
The amount of water that you use is directly related to the pressure or flow of the water in most cases. Consider that you may turn the water faucet on more forcefully when you need to wash your hands and you may blast the water at full force when you are showering.
Low-flow plumbing features use aeration to deliver a powerful stream of water as desired, but less water is used in the process. Aerated faucets can be installed in all of your sinks and showerheads. A similar design is available for toilets. You can potentially save hundreds of gallons of water each week by upgrading your fixtures to be more efficient.
2. Rainwater Collection and Storage Features
When you are looking for ways to save water at home, it is important to consider how you can maximize rainwater. Without a rainwater collection and storage system, the potential for using rain is lost.
For example, the lawn and vegetation may receive ample rain during a shower, but all of the rain that falls onto your roof and through your gutters runs off into your driveway or landscaping. Try connecting your gutter system to a rainwater storage tank so you can collect this runoff to use around your lawn and gardens. By taking this step, you can eliminate the need to draw water from the public water supply to keep your lawn or garden hydrated.
3. Upgrade Your Appliances
Your dishwasher, washing machine, toilet, and hot water heater make up a lot of your water consumption. You can upgrade your dishwasher and washing machine to WaterSense and ENERGY STAR® certified models that use less water to do the same job. A tankless hot water heater is another upgrade to consider. Because a tankless hot water heater heats water on-demand, you can draw hot water when needed.
You can see that there are numerous improvements that you can make to save water at home on a regular basis. Consider starting with one improvement to begin conserving water, and you can gradually make additional improvements for further conservation.
American Home Inspection Services provides home inspection services for Southeast Michigan, including water testing and well inspections. Contact us to schedule an appointment.