Category Archives: water saving tips

All of us would like to trim our household expenses and one the best ways we can do that is by reducing our monthly water bill. While there are many easy ways to accomplish this we are sometimes reluctant to take the necessary steps. Most people equate conserving water with making radical changes to their lifestyle. The good news is with a few minor tweaks, you can start seeing savings on your water bill without sacrificing comfort. Here are seven ways you can do right now to reduce your water bill.

Replace Leaky Fixtures

Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of water each year. If you have more than one leaky faucet or a leaky toilet, it can really add up in the course of a year. When it comes time to replace fixtures consider low flow faucet aerators and toilets to help regulate your water usage.

Pull The Plug On Baths

On average it takes about 35 gallons of water to fill up a bathtub. When you compare that to a 5-minute shower that uses around a third of that and making the switch is a no-brainer. When you replace conventional shower heads with low-flow models the savings can be even more significant.

Low Flow Shower Heads

According to the U.S Department of Energy, switching to low-flow shower heads can reduce your water bill by up to 60%. Low-flow shower heads are easy to install and you won’t notice any change in the quality of your morning shower. Spending a little less time in the shower will help as well.

Turn Off The Water While Brushing Or Shaving

We all do it. You’re brushing your teeth or shaving in the bathroom sink and you keep the water running until it’s time to rinse out your mouth or wash the shaving cream off your face. Why do we do it? Most of the time we don’t stop to think how much money we are wasting by not shutting off the faucet when we don’t need the water. Simply remembering to turn off the water when you don’t need it can help lower your monthly bill.

Throw Out The Garbage Disposal

You are pouring money down the drain when you use your garbage disposal. Just throw your waste in the trash instead. Taking the trash out a few extra times a month is more than worth it when you consider the amount of water you can save.

Insulate Your Water Pipes

This has a dual benefit; not only will the insulation protect your pipes from freezing during the winter but it is also a great way to save water. Since the insulation helps water heat up faster you spend less time with the faucet open waiting for the water to get hot enough to wash dishes or shower.

Use The Dishwasher

From a water conservation standpoint, dishwashers are a more efficient way to get dishes clean than hand washing. But make sure you only run the dishwasher when it is full. Otherwise, you are negating any possible savings by not making the best use of the appliance’s money saving potential.

There are a number of benefits to switching to water saving faucets, heads and appliances beyond the obvious advantage of lowering your monthly water bill. From an environmental standpoint, water saving fixtures and appliances are an excellent way to conserve water. It is estimated that over three trillion gallons of water a year could be saved if every home in U.S. installed energy efficient water fixtures to say nothing of the additional savings “green” appliances could offer these same households. Some communities and utility companies also offer households incentives for switching to these water-saving plumbing accessories and appliances.

Water Saving Faucets

One of the benefits of replacing fixtures is that a water-efficient faucets have a flow rate of 1.5 GPM, compared to 2.5 GPM for conventional faucets, which can save an average family around 700 gallons of water annually. This lower flow rate in no way affects performance. These faucets also reduce energy usage by putting less of a demand on hot water heaters. The addition of a flow restrictor to an existing faucet can accomplish the same objective.

Water Saving Shower Heads

That refreshing shower you take in the morning could be responsible for up to 30 percent of the water usage in your home. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that American’s waste around two trillion gallons of water every year in the shower. Making the switch to a low-flow showerhead can reduce your water consumption by up to 40 percent and also save you a couple of hundred dollars or more on your water bill. Expect to save a few dollars on your electric bill as well. You can find low flow shower heads at most hardware stores and they are quick and easy to install.

Some people resist moving to low flow shower heads because they equate them with low water pressure. If you’re concerned about sacrificing the quality of your shower in the name of water savings take heart; recent improvements have addressed the issue of lower water pressure that once made showering with low flow heads so unpleasant.

Water Saving Appliances

Water saving appliances can be a little more expensive than less efficient models but you can quickly make up for the extra cost with what you’ll save on your utility bills. These water saving appliances also use less electricity and take up less space in the home.
Switching to a more water efficient washing machine can save a family of four up to 11,900 gallons of water annually. But there are other considerations that make water saving washers a smart purchase. Most of these high-efficiency washers are front loaders which rely on tumbling action to get clothes clean, a process which is gentler on clothes and requires less detergent. And since more water is removed from clothes during the final rinse cycle drying takes less time.

A water-saving dishwater can save a four-person household up 700 gallons of water a year. The more sophisticated water efficient dishwashers use soil sensors to automatically adjust the amount of water delivered to dishes based on how dirty they are. Even more basic models can save water and energy since they typically use about one-third of the amount of water that a conventional dishwasher uses and are 41% more energy efficient.

Need help converting to water saving fixtures, faucets or appliances? Call Davis Plumbing & Drain at (480) 985-3012