Save Water and Lower Your Bill with Three Simple Changes
The amount of water Americans waste is at an all-time high.
According to the EPA, 900 billion gallons of water is wasted annually in the US, just due to leaks around the house. In fact, 95% of all the water we use goes straight down the drain.
And this can cost you a lot of money. It can drain your bank account as well as local reservoirs.
Here are three easy ways to save water, help the environment, and lower your water bill.
Take shorter showers
Showers consume the third largest amount of water in the average American home, behind toilets and your washing machine.
The constant flow of water can become expensive after what seems like a short time in the shower. The average shower lasts 8.2 minutes and uses 32.8 gallons in total, which comes out to 4 gallons per minute.
Luckily, reducing time (and water used) in the shower is incredibly easy.
If you were to have the water on for rinsing off first and at the end, and turned the water off while shampooing your hair, you could save a considerable amount.
In fact, this could cut your amount of time using water in half, saving over 4,000 gallons of water per year, saving you hundreds of dollars off your water bill each year.
A faucet leaking one drip per minute will drain 34 gallons every year. While a leaking faucet is bad, it is nowhere near as severe as a leaking toilet.
A toilet that won’t stop running can waste 200 gallons per day, and even more in some instances. This can cost you thousands of dollars per year on your water bill.
Because of the insane waste potential of faucets and toilets, checking them is essential.
How to test for a toilet leak
To test whether or not your toilet is running, put some food coloring in the tank and do not flush the toilet for a decent amount of time. Later on, check the bowl of the toilet. If the water has the food coloring in it, then your toilet is running.
Other suspected plumbing leaks
If you suspect that your water consumption increase is due to a leaky sink or other appliances, but it’s not apparent, it’s a good idea to call a professional.
A plumber has the equipment to properly check fixtures and appliances to make sure they are operating correctly.
They can also determine if there is a hidden problem behind a wall in an older pipe that may be the source of your leak.
Another way to reduce the amount of water a shower uses is to consider a low-flow showerhead.
Showering once a day uses roughly 33 gallons of water. Low-flow showerheads use less water, approximately 2 gallons per minute, compared to the standard 4-5 gallons per minute.
To make up for the decrease in the amount of water being spit out, the water is expelled with a higher pressure to provide the same, if not better, experience.
Low-flow showerheads are incredibly cheap. Many options can be found for around $20, and higher-end models can include interesting settings, such as massage or a “simulated rainstorm” sprays.
While installing a low-flow showerhead can be a do-it-yourself job, if the showerhead isn’t attached correctly or is stuck, you could end up with a leak.
Just be careful when you remove the existing showerhead, so you do not damage the pipe that goes into the wall.
By calling a plumber to install the part, you ensure peace-of-mind and have an expert who can make any adjustments as needed to provide you with the best experience.
Want help finding solutions to save water, or want to have a low-flow showerhead installed?
Contact the experts at Agentis. Our skilled technicians are ready to help.
