Avoiding Water-Wasting Errors

We’re all looking for smart ways to conserve in our daily lives, both for the benefit of our pocketbooks and the environment. One of the single largest areas that checks both boxes here? Water usage in the home.

At All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling, our plumbers are here for more than just fixing things – we can help you with areas like conserving more water and lowering your bill as a result. With that in mind, here are a few of the biggest water usage errors we see, and how you can correct them to start saving far more water.

Improper Toilet Use

The toilet is the single largest consumer of water in your home, generally accounting for about a third of all your water use. Toilet drains therefore undergo a significant daily strain – one that’s only increased if you or others in the home are flushing improper objects down it. Things like feminine products, tissues, cotton balls or basically anything other than human waste or approved toilet paper should never be flushed. Doing so not only wastes gallons of water in the process, but also increases the chances of a drain clog requiring drain cleaning services.

Leaking Pipes

The average US home can leak over 10,000 gallons of water per year, but you can avoid this if you’re diligent. Check regularly for leaks or signs of leaks around any fixtures you use regularly.

Half-Full Loads

Whether we’re talking about laundry, a dishwasher or any other home appliance that uses water, make sure you’re doing full loads every time. Doing half loads will still use the same amount of water for half the cleaning.

Shower Issues

For starters, one of the simplest ways to avoid wasting water is limiting the long baths or showers you take. An eight-minute shower can use over 20 gallons of water, which adds up over time.

One way to help here is to consider a low-flow showerhead if you haven’t already made the switch. These generally use far less water, to the point where an eight-minute shower only uses about 10 gallons.

Lawn Watering

During the summer, always water during the morning between 5 and 10 AM – this is when air is cold and evaporation is low, meaning you need to use less water. It’s also usually necessary to water only twice per week.

Running Water

Whether it’s doing dishes, brushing your teeth or any other task where people often leave water running, consider flipping it off. You’d be surprised the kind of savings this can add up to over time.

For more on avoiding water-wasting errors, or to learn about any of our residential plumbing services, speak to the pros at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.