Water Use Around Your Home, and How You Can Save Th=
is
Summer
The first step in understanding how to conserve =
water
in your home is to know where water is used.
Most people use 50 to 70 gallons of water indoor=
s each
day and as much as the same amount outdoors, depending on the season. Indoo=
rs,
three-quarters of all the water is used in the bathroom and outdoors, lawn =
and
garden watering and car washing account for most of the water used.
How to Conserve Water Daily
Because such a huge percentage of the water you =
use is
used in the bathroom, that's where water conservation efforts should focus.=
You
can install a few simple, inexpensive devices in the bathroom that can save=
a
lot of water with no change in your lifestyle or your present habits. Most =
of
our local home improvement stores stock these items. These are: =
- Placing
a water-filled bottle or container in bottom of toilet tank can reduce=
the
amount of water flowing out of the toilet by up to 25 percent and they=
do
not affect its flushing ability. Always be sure that at least 3 gallon=
s of
water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. =
- Low
flow, water-saving shower heads. This inexpensive and easy to install =
piece
of plumbing reduces the amount of water flowing through your shower by=
up
to 50 percent, but increases its velocity so the shower feels the same.
This also saves hot water, which saves you in gas costs.
- Faucet
aerators. These devices restrict the amount of water going through your
faucet by up to 50 percent, but add bubbles so the flow of water appea=
rs
the same. They could be installed on all of your faucets, not just the
ones in your bathroom for very little out-of-pocket expense.
Other relatively simple things you can do in you=
r home
to further reduce water use are:
- Repair
leaks in your faucets and toilets. A leaky faucet can waste 20 gallons=
or
more per day. Leaky toilets, even though they are usually silent, can
waste hundreds of gallons per day. To find out if your toilet has leak=
s,
put a little food coloring in the tank. If, without flushing, color
appears in the bowl, you have a leak that should be repaired. Repairin=
g a
faucet is usually as simple as changing an inexpensive washer. Leaky
toilets can often be repaired by adjusting the float arm or plunger ba=
ll.
- Use
your dishwasher and clothes washer only when you have a full load. If =
you
are purchasing a new clothes washer, choose one with variable load or
suds-saver options. Many dishwashers are also now available with
water-saving options. If you already have these options, use them when=
ever
possible.
- If
you are building a new home or remodeling an old one, consider install=
ing
"low flush" toilets. These toilets use 1 to 2 gallons per fl=
ush
instead of the 3 to 5 gallons used by conventional ones. They are read=
ily
available and, although they cost a little bit more, they can save you=
a
lot of money in the long run through decreased water and energy use. <=
o:p>
- Avoid
unnecessarily flushing your toilet. Never use it as a wastepaper b=
asket
to dispose of cigarette butts or tissue paper.
- Turn
off the faucet while you are shaving or brushing your teeth or hand
washing dishes.
- Avoid
running water in the shower while you are shampooing or soaping. Most
people step away from the water to do this anyway. Many water-saving
shower heads come with a button to shut off the flow without changing =
the
mix of hot and cold water.
Outdoor uses of water are often high volume.
Nevertheless, there are ways you can save water. Try these:
- Attach
a pistol-type sprayer to the end of your garden hose. In addition to e=
nabling
you to adjust the rate of flow, this device keeps water from continuin=
g to
run out during those short periods when you put down the hose without
turning it off (while you are washing your car, for example).
- Water
your lawn only when necessary. It takes 660 gallons of water to supply
1,000 square feet of lawn with 1 inch of water. This is nearly the same
amount of water as you use inside the house in an entire week! Water y=
our
lawn when it begins to show signs of wilting - when the grass does not=
spring
back when you step on it - rather than on a regular schedule.
- Use
mulch around trees and shrubs and in garden beds. This greatly reduces=
the
amount of water lost through evaporation and so reduces the need for
watering.
- Consider
using a drip irrigation system in your garden. This system supplies wa=
ter
only to the root zones of plants. In addition to saving water, it redu=
ces
weeding because it doesn't water the areas between rows and hills of
crops.
- Use
only plant varieties that are well adapted to your locality and sell
conditions. Poorly chosen varieties often need greater amounts of
fertilizer and water just to stay alive. If the expense of replacing a=
ll of
your shrubs and trees seems daunting and too expensive, make a goal to
only change out a couple at a time.&n=
bsp;
The money you will save in water costs will be worth your effor=
ts.
- Avoid
watering the lawn. Your lawn may turn brown in the middle of the summe=
r,
but this doesn't mean that it's dead; it’s just dormant and will
return when cooler weather or rain returns. Most people are usually more
concerned about their neighbors will think if their grass begins to br=
own
a little rather then focus Rather, the grass is dormant and will regrow
when rain and cooler weather returns.
- Use
the water from your roof downspouts for watering your garden and flower
beds. Placing buckets in=
these
areas can provide you with a quite a few flower bed or garden watering=
s.
And just remember whe=
n it
comes to conserving water and saving money, every little bit helps.