It’s now 2018, and the time for goal setting and New Year’s Resolutions is upon us. Eating better, exercising, and saving money are usually the top 3 on everyone’s list.
Luckily, we can help you with one. Start off the New Year with money in your pocket by lowering your water bill, following these 4 plumping tips.
Take Your Car to a Carwash
It might not make sense at first. Why would I pay to go to a car wash when I can wash it for free at home? Well, unfortunately washing your car at home is not free. In fact, home car washes can become quite expensive.
Washing your car at home can use up to 120 gallons of water per car. This is a massive difference from going to a professional car wash, which only uses about 20 gallons of water.
The cost of paying to go to a car wash is far less when compared to how much water you will be wasting at home, and money you will be adding to your bill. Be smart and take a trip to your local car wash next time your vehicle needs a scrub down.
Use Greywater to Water Your Plants
Greywater, or wasted water can make up almost 50% of your water bill. That is a very high amount, just to be wasted. Using greywater to water your indoor and outdoor plants is a great way to get use out of that water instead of letting it just go down the drain.
Some ways to catch Greywater include:
- Placing a bucket under the faucet when warming up water for a shower
- Scooping out the water from a bath after use
- Washing fruits and veggies on a bowl in the sink, and keeping the excess water from the bowl
- Catching the excess water with a bucket from your washing machine
You can also use greywater to flush your toilets. Just pour some into the bowl, and it will flush without using any freshwater.
Check Your Home for Leaks
If your water bill is high, and your usage is still the same, it might be time to check for leaks.
Household leaks are more common than you think, and an average home can lose anywhere from 2,000 - 20,000 gallons of water per year.
The most efficient way to check for leaks is to do a whole house meter check.
To do a whole house meter check:
- Shut off all the water inside and outside the house
- Check the water meter reading
- Do not use any water for 15 minutes, make sure no one in the house is using any
- After the 15 minutes is up, check the meter again
- If the reading went up, you may have a leak
You can also check periodically for running toilets, and surface water around faucets and pipes. Keep on top of these areas, and you’ll be able to spot a small leak before it turns into a huge one.
Shower Instead of Taking Baths
Bathing can be a therapeutic ritual. For most of us, it’s the only solo time we get in a day. And what better way to spend that solo time than to soak in a nice long bath!
Well, sorry to burst your relaxation bubble, but showering instead of taking baths can reduce your water consumption by 40%. Taking a ten-minute shower, using a water saver shower head uses about 20 gallons of water per shower.
If you decide to go the bath route, you will be using approximately 36 gallons of water. That’s a difference of 16 gallons per wash, which adds up over time.
This doesn't mean you can never take a bath again. There’s nothing like some candlelit aromatherapy after a tough day. But maybe keep it to once a week, your bank account will thank you.
Whether you live in an apartment building or a mansion, anyone in Manassas, VA can benefit from these plumbing tips. Get started now, and you might save money this year.