We all know that water is a vital natural resource. But not everyone is sure about how to save this precious resource in their daily lives. But who better to ask for information about saving water than your trusted plumbers from Metroplex Leak & Line. As a full-service plumbing contractor, our team works on all parts of your home’s plumbing system and have seen where changes can easily be made that will help you conserve water and decrease your monthly water bill. And here are some of our best tips to get you started on the path to a more efficient and environmentally friendly home.
Schedule A Leak Detection
You might think that this is just a ploy to drum up more business for our leak detection specialist, but that is not the case. This is the only way to be sure that your home is leak-free before you begin your effort to reduce your water usage. Our pros will inspect all of your home’s plumbing, including any pipes that are concealed in walls, floors, or under your homes slab foundation to be sure that you are leak-free. This is the best way to know that your water conservation efforts will provide the results that you want. Give us a call at (214) 388-4525 and take advantage of our evening and weekend hours for your leak detection appointment.
Low Flow Toilets
Do you know which part of your home uses the most water? When asked, most homeowners will say the bathroom because of bathing. And while their answer is correct, it is the wrong fixture that they are guessing. In the average home, the toilet uses 40% of the water coming into the house at a rate of 3 gallons per flush. But the installation of a low flow toilet will reduce that consumption to only 1.28 gallons per flush. That is a savings of over 50% on each flush. So installing low flow toilets could reduce your home’s water usage by 20% and you don’t have to change a single thing about the way you are using the water.
Other Low Flow Options
While your toilet is the biggest water waster in your home, other fixtures use a good amount of water. Older shower heads could have a flow of as much as 3.5 gallons per minute, while newer models are offered in rates between 1.8 and 2.5 gallons per minute. The average shower lasts just over 8 minutes. It makes showers the third largest water user in your home behind toilets and the washing machine. So saving a gallon per minute will add up over the course of a month. And don’t forget to look at the bathroom and kitchen faucets while you are shopping. These range from 1 to 2.2 gallons per minute and see a lot of use throughout the day.
Appliance Efficiency
The second-largest water user in your home is your washing machine. And while there is no way around washing your clothes, there are a few tips that can help you use less water and still enjoy clothes that smell springtime fresh. The first tip is only to wash a full load of clothes. And along those same lines, be sure to use the most appropriate load size selection when possible. Newer machines set the water level automatically, but if you have a model that allows you to select load size, always do so. This selection can save a considerable amount of water each month. And apply the same logic to your dishwasher. You can’t set the load size, but you can make sure that you load the racks efficiently and only run a wash cycle when the dishwasher is full.
Reclaim Your Time
This final suggestion will not only save water and money, but it will also save you some time. If you spend more than 5-7 minutes in the shower each day, try cutting back a minute or two. Over the course of one week, you are gaining as much as 15 minutes that you were wasting standing in the shower. Who wouldn’t want an extra minute or two to relax in the morning before heading off to work? We multitask all day to save five minutes, and in most cases, there is no financial reward. But a shorter shower offers three benefits.
If you have questions about how to reduce your water usage in your home, call the water pros at Metroplex Leak & Line at (214) 388-4525. No one knows your plumbing system better and can offer you more options for a more water-efficient home. And we offer appointments in the evening and on the weekend, so your leak detection service does not need to complicate your busy schedule.
