Are you sick of throwing away money down the drain?
If there’s one thing homeowners know nothing about, it’s how much water they’re wasting every day. Plumbing leaks, ancient toilets, and bad habits are costing you hundreds of dollars every year—and you probably don’t even realize it!
Here’s the truth though:
The good news is that changing these negative habits doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Improving your home’s plumbing habits is…
- Cost-free to begin
- Easy to implement
…and will seriously impact your water bill and the environment.
You’ll learn
- Why saving water should matter to homeowners
- The worst plumbing habits you can have
- How you can easily stop leaks before they become expensive
- The best upgrades to start saving money
Why Saving Water Should Matter to Homeowners
Unless you live in a drought-prone area, you might not think about how much water you use every day.
The truth is water waste is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to be throwing money away.
As reported by the EPA, the average home wastes over 9,400 gallons of water per year due to household leaks. When you combine all those homes, we’re looking at almost 900 billion gallons of water wasted every year.
Pause for a second and let that sink in…
That could supply 11 million homes with water (and we’re still wasting it).
Water waste isn’t discriminatory either. Whether you’re renting out properties or own residential and commercial buildings that rely on industrial plumbing services for daily operations, water efficiency is essential. And for homeowners living in large cities such as New York, water can be some of the highest in the country. Having to call an emergency plumber in NYC may not seem like a big deal until you’re looking at thousands of dollars of water damage.
Don’t waste any more time
Water waste is expensive, and the longer you put off addressing these issues, the worse your problem will be.
The Worst Plumbing Habits You Could Have
Leaks aren’t the only reason homeowners are losing water every day.
Your daily routine might be slowly draining your wallet without you even knowing it. Here are the worst offenders when it comes to plumbing habits.
Letting the faucet run. Yup, you read that right. Running the faucet while brushing your teeth is a big waste of water (and toothpaste). Letting your tap run for 2 minutes can waste several gallons a day. Now imagine how much your family of 4 brushes their teeth twice a day.
Running your dishwasher or washing machine half full. Much like letting the tap run, people tend to run these large appliances when they’re not fully loaded. Make sure to start the dishwasher only when you have a full load. This can save you one extra load a week.
Not fixing slow drips. You know that faucet in your kitchen that drips every 5 seconds? While it may not seem like a lot, that faucet could be wasting up to 17 gallons of water a day. Imagine how much water your whole house is wasting if every faucet was leaking.
Using old toilets. If you still have an old toilet that hasn’t been upgraded, you’re wasting water with every flush. Toilets make up about 31% of your total indoor water use.
Wasting water outside. Up to 50% of water used outdoors is wasted due to wind, evaporation, or runoff. Leaky pipes and inefficient irrigation systems can waste up to 25,000 gallons per year.
Shocked yet?
How You Can Easily Stop Leaks Before They Drain Your Wallet
Leaks are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Not only do they waste water, but they can cause extensive damage to your home.
The scary thing about leaks is homeowners don’t know they exist. That pipe hiding behind the wall or your toilet running a little longer than it should could be leaking for months without you even knowing it.
Check out these tips to find the leaks:
- Turn the water off to your house for 2 hours and see if your water meter moves.
- Check under your sinks, behind toilets, and around water heaters for pipes that have noticeable moisture on them.
- Keep track of your monthly water bill. Unexplained increases are a clear indication of a hidden leak.
But don’t stop there! These are only the leaks you can easily find. Many leaks happen behind walls or under your home’s foundation. These are the ones that can cause major damage and cost you a ton of money. Make sure to have a professional come in at least once a year to inspect your plumbing system.
You can literally save yourself thousands of dollars in repair bills by catching a small leak early.
The Best Upgrades To Start Saving Money
Eliminating wasteful plumbing habits is only half the battle. By installing water-efficient fixtures, you can save water without changing habits.
Here are the biggest upgrades you can make to begin saving.
Low-flow shower heads. By changing your shower head to a low-flow model, you can save water without losing water pressure. Most homeowners won’t even notice the difference.
Dual-flush toilets. Allow toilets to have a lower volume flush for liquid waste. Toilets are the largest water user inside your home. By changing to a dual-flush toilet, you’ll save a significant amount of water.
Install faucet aerators. Plumbing aerators are one of the cheapest fixes you can do. They simply screw onto the faucet and restrict water flow while maintaining water pressure. They’re cheap and easy to install.
Install smart irrigation controllers. If you have an irrigation system, install a smart watering controller. They’ll automatically adjust how much you’re watering based on weather conditions. Who wants to water their lawn during a downpour?
Not only will these upgrades save you tons of water, but they pay for themselves.
Installing water-efficient products can save families at least 20% in water consumption and can save the average household over $380 annually.
Putting it All Together
Stop wasting water with these simple tips and tricks.
Here’s your cheat sheet on what was covered:
- Fix leaks immediately.
- Train yourself to not leave taps running unnecessarily
- Install water efficient fixtures
- Watch your water bill for increases
- Call a professional to inspect your home’s plumbing yearly
Every year homeowners are wasting thousands of gallons of water. By implementing these tips and tricks, you can help decrease your water waste and save money on your water bills.
You now have all the information you need to start saving money and water. Don’t sit there wasting water, go out and make a change!