As summer takes the time to make itself at home, it’s wise to pay attention to how much water you use daily. Studies have shown that the average consumer wastes up to thirty gallons of water a day, often without realizing it. According to the American Water Works Association, this amounts to practically two trillion gallons across the nation per year.
It’s vital to save water however you can. And this is easy to incorporate into your life if you know where to start. To get the ball rolling, here are five ways to reduce your home’s water usage during the summer.
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Fine-Tune Your Bathroom Habits
The average consumer uses a lot of water in the bathroom, and most of it goes to waste during long showers or lengthy wash-up routines. Because of that, it’s possible to save gallons of water over time just by being more conscious. That can be as simple as remembering to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving.
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Maintain Your Yard Efficiently
When caring for your plants and lawn, you should avoid watering the yard until the weather cools down. If you tend to your landscaping while the sun is blazing, the water will evaporate before it can reach far enough into the soil, rendering that water wasted. Waiting until the end of the day to feed your plants ensures they’ll get the nutrients they need most efficiently.
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Work with Your Kitchen
There are ways to adjust your kitchen routine to save water. Waiting to run your dishwasher until it’s full will save gallons each cycle. Another water-saving strategy is thawing food in the fridge instead of under the tap. You can even keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator so you have constant access to a fresh, cold drink. That way, you don’t have to run the water until it’s cool enough for your taste.
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Check for Leaks
Plenty of faucets and exposed pipes are vulnerable to leakage. It’s essential to check your system for these kinds of defects, as even a tiny drip can waste more than 50 gallons of water a day. WaterSense suggests homeowners across the United States check their fixtures every year to catch damage before it costs you money on your water bill and becomes a more significant issue.
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Switch to WaterSense
Much like how an EnergyStar brand appliance can save massive amounts of electricity, a WaterSense water fixture lowers water waste. Replacing even just your showerhead can save an average of 2,700 gallons of water a year.
Water waste is bound to become more of an issue in this country and globally as time goes on. To keep the consequences of lasting droughts at bay, every citizen has a part to play. Saving water is not just a fanciful goal. It’s a necessity for all of us. And a reliable provider like Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air can make it easy for your home.