Water Conservation 101: Your Complete Home Maintenance Checklist
Living
With so much of the country caught in record-breaking droughts, it’s no wonder that homeowners across the nation are looking for ways to make their homes more drought-tolerant and eco-friendly. Luckily, there are dozens of simple, inexpensive ways to make your home use less water this summer season. Here’s your complete home maintenance checklist for less water consumption:
1. Scan your toilets for leaks
In the average home, toilets are some of the biggest culprits in excess water use. To ensure that your ivory throne isn’t wasting water, do a simple test for leaks. To start, put a few drops of red food coloring into the tank of the toilet. Leave the toilet alone and do not flush it for 30 minutes. If the color begins to appear in the bowl within those 30 minutes, you’ve got a toilet leak on your hands, and you’ll need to repair it yourself or hire someone to do it immediately.
2. Test your water meter and fix any leaks
To get a closer look at your home’s overall water use, take a look at your water meter during a time when no water (sinks, bathtubs, showers, or toilets) is being used. If, after two hours of no water use, your meter doesn’t read the same number it did before the start of the two-hour period, you have a leak that you’ll need to repair ASAP.
3. Insulate your home’s water pipes
Waiting for water to warm up is a huge source of waste. As you run the shower or sink waiting for hot water, you’re wasting water that could be going to a better cause. One great way to prevent this from happening is to insulate your home’s water pipes. Pre-slit pipe insulation made of foam is inexpensive and easy to install, and it can save you money, energy, and water in the long run.
4. Install water-saving faucets and showerheads
Low-flow showerheads and faucet restrictors are simple to install and can save you gallons of water each and every day. What’s more, installing simple aerators in your household faucets can help cut down on water use and make your kitchen and bathroom faucets (Typically a primary source of waste) a bit more eco-friendly.
5. Mulch your outdoor landscaping
Once you’ve made the inside of your home as water-friendly as possible, it’s time to move to the outside. To conserve water and help plants stay moist, lay down a layer of mulch. This will keep moisture from evaporating and cut down on the number of times you must water each season.
Conserving water is an important piece of being a responsible homeowner. Luckily, this handy home maintenance checklist can help you make your home a more drought-tolerant and environmentally friendly place.
