5 Ways to Cut Your Water Bill

According to a study from the United States Geological Survey, the average American uses anywhere from 80 to 100 gallons of water a day. That’s a sizeable consumption that takes a huge chunk out of your checking account every month. However, that doesn’t mean you need to waste water in your Sarasota, Florida, home. By taking these simple steps and enlisting the help of a reputable plumber, you can cut your water bill dramatically.

Let Us Check Your Faucets

One of the biggest wastes of water in your home is leaky faucets. The problem is that most homeowners see little drips and don’t realize how much they cost on an annual basis. Unrepaired faucets that leak every three seconds can waste up to 86 gallons of water a month, while rapidly dripping faucets can cause up to 260 gallons of wastewater each month.

Instead of letting your faucet drip and paying a higher bill because of it, let us check and repair any problematic faucet in your home. Even with the initial cost, you’ll end up saving money in the long run.

Inspect Your Toilets for Leaks

Much like faucets, toilets can leak or run continuously, wasting up to 100 gallons a day. However, there’s an easy way to test your toilet. Place a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait 15 to 20 minutes. If any of the food coloring appears in the bowl, you know you have a leak. Make sure that you don’t wait over 20 minutes, or you risk staining the bowl. If you do notice leaks, the fix is as easy as installing a new float or seal, or scheduling an appointment with us.

Cut Water Waste in the Kitchen

While the bathroom is a huge culprit of water waste, the kitchen isn’t far behind. Rather than from food preparation, it’s usually because of the cleanup afterward. If you don’t have a dishwasher, washing your dishes by hand is wasteful if you don’t use the proper method. Instead of running the water constantly throughout your wash, put a stopper in the sink and fill it with soapy water. Use the water in the basin to wash your dishes. To rinse them, run a light stream of water into the soapy water or into the other side of the sink if you have a double.

If you have a dishwasher, cutting water waste isn’t nearly as difficult. The key element here is to only run the dishwasher when it’s full. It uses the same amount of water no matter how many dishes are inside, so waiting until it’s full works to your advantage. You should also check to see if your dishwasher has economy settings, which reduces waste even more.

Switch to High-Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures

There’s no doubt about it: Old plumbing fixtures waste a ton of water. They are such egregious violators of waste that the EPA estimates that if just one in 100 homes in America switched to high-efficiency or low-flow fixtures, it would prevent 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity that’s needed to treat waste water. That doesn’t even take into account how much money you’ll save each month with new plumbing fixtures.

Low-flow fixtures may sound like they won’t provide the water pressure you want, but that’s actually not the case. They just use less water when necessary without taking away from your shower, cooking, or other experience. Plus, they have a lower rate of failure, meaning you won’t have to worry about any mishaps that you might get with an older fixture.

Install a Solar Water Heater

Solar water heaters are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to get on-demand hot water in your home. By harnessing the power of the sun, you can enjoy hot showers and cooking water without the excessive costs that tank water heaters often have. Sunlight is always ample in the Sunshine State, so there’s no reason not to give this solution a try.

Reducing your water bill is as easy as changing your habits and remaining vigilant when it comes to water usage. If you need a professional to take care of the other stuff, including installation and repairs, call Custom Air, Inc. today at (866) 819-0992.