You may not consider your dripping water tap or leaking pipe to be a major issue but if not addressed, they can lead to increased monthly water bills. Furthermore, as the world moves swiftly towards addressing water shortage, it is your responsibility to avoid wasting water.
Fortunately, there are a bunch of things you can do to save water, which we will be discussing in this article. So, here are 10 tips to avoid wasting water:
10 Tips to Save Water
1. Fix your dripping faucets
Dripping faucets are one of the most common causes of water wastage. Fortunately, this isn’t something that requires extensive plumbing. You can fix the issue by yourself. Usually, taps drip due to loose rubber seals or damaged washer under the decorative top covering. Grab a spanner or a slot-headed screwdriver and unscrew the top cover. Replace the seal or washer and your faucet will stop dripping.
2. Keep the tap off while dishwashing
It might feel like a hectic task to turn the tap on and off after washing each plate, but it’s worth doing. Generally, people have a habit of cleaning their washes under full taps, utilizing more water than needed. This leads to the wastage of a lot of water. So, try to keep your taps low and put it off when not rinsing.
3. Avoid long showers
If you love taking long showers while listening to music, then know that you could be wasting tens of gallons of water. Make your showers quick and avoid taking a shower unnecessarily. You can even lower the water pressure of your shower line to avoid wasting water.
4. Seal your pipe leaks
Even if everything seems perfect inside, there might be a leakage outside. Water pipelines, specifically those that are underground or behind the walls, may hide small leaking holes that might not show up unless inspected. In case you find a damaged spot, simply apply epoxy putty over the leaking area to seal the pipe leaks.
5. Avoid leaving hoses on while watering the lawn
When watering big lawns, it’s usual for people to leave the water hose on at a corner to save effort. This can waste excessive water than your lawn needs. In fact, it will overwater the lawn than can damage the grass. Generally, lawns require 1 to 1.5 inches of water every week. So, avoid wasting water uselessly by watering the lawn every day. Furthermore, do not water your lawn during daytime as it can soak up much amount of water just to evaporate it. So, water it early morning and only once or twice a week.
6. Water the soil only, not leaves
It can be fun to play with water hoses while watering the plants, but watering their topsides can rot your plants. Thus, water the soil only, not the leaves to keep your plants healthy and avoid wasting water. Besides, nutrients are drawn from the soil. So, only sprinkle water to the leaves if they have caught dust and save water.
7. Run the washing machine when it’s full
When you run washing machine when it’s full of clothes, you not only save water but you also save your effort and electricity, and all three are crucial. A standard washing machine requires about 20 gallons to water per load. So, for example, if you cut off even one washing activity per week, you can save 80 gallons of water per month.
8. Reduce water pressure from the main line
Typically, at houses with kids, water is excessively wasted. Kids are habitual of washing hands at full taps, wasting liters of water for small purposes. Reducing water pressure from the main line would do the trick. This way, even full taps will deliver less water, ultimately saving your water bill. Just half-close your main valve and reduce the pressure.
9. Put a heavy bottle in your toilet tank
Newer toilet tanks come pre-designed with standard capacity to hold water. However, not everyone will have this facility at their bathrooms. So, if you’ve got an old toilet tank that is good at water-sucking (used mostly in 1990s), placing a heavy bottle inside it can fairly reduce the amount of water flushed each time you lift or press its handle. The heavy bottle will take up most of the space, leaving behind less space to fill up the water.
10. Save and reuse water
It may not be always feasible to avoid wasting water. However, it’s always feasible to save and reuse the water as much as possible. For example, you can save the water from washing machine or after dishwashing and rinsing vegetables, and use it to water your lawn and plants. Furthermore, you can also install flow restrictors or shower heads to limit your shower flow.
Another way you can save water is by closing the taps while brushing and shaving. Even washing your razor after every shave can consume a lot of water. For this purpose, you can use your bucket mug to hold some amount of water, and rinse your razor in it whenever you need to.
Thus, with the above-mentioned ways, you can avoid wasting water efficiently. In the ongoing time, saving water has become the need of the hour. So, use water smartly and save it for your future needs.
Need advice? Call a Professional Plumber
Contact Mesa Plumbing Company that offers 24/7 plumbing service with no extra charges, and provides 100% satisfied plumbing facilities across 12 cities in Arizona. So, don’t wait until the last moment and call now to get professional advice on plumbing.