How To Effectively Conserve Water At Home
We no longer take having pure clean water at our fingertips for granted, and most people have developed an awareness of how much drinking water we waste on a daily basis. And from that, more and more people are taking steps to change their usual habits and conserve water at home when they can. Some are simple, and some may require professionals. One particular plumber in Mosman has a few ideas to help you use less water:
Taking shorter showers will help but you can also start using less water by switching shower heads. Usually described as “water saving” or “low flow” fixtures, these shower heads provide you with the same water pressure you’re used to without actually using as much water.
You won’t even need a plumber. There is usually just a nut holding the fixture in place, so you just need a wrench or pliers to remove it. Then just attach the new one with another nut.
Stop Letting Water Run
This applies in a number of situations, when you just let the water run unnecessarily. A common example is while you are brushing your teeth. After you’ve wet your brush, turn off the tap as you give your teeth their scrub. Then just turn it back on again to rinse the brush. No sense letting good water go down the drain.
Another example is letting it run to cool off when you want a drink. Store a jug of water in the fridge for instant chilled water instead.
Fill Up the Machines
This applies to dishwashers and washing machines basically. Wait until you have a full load whenever you can. Yes, most modern machines allow for “small” or “half” loads, but you’ll still get the best water usage efficiency if you do a full load each time. If you can’t wait, then by all means still use the level adjustments. That still helps.
The Dual Flush
New models of toilets now offer a flushing choice, so you can use less water when you only need a light flush. Use the second flush when you have a more significant disposal need. By choosing the light flush, you save up to a gallon of water with each use.
Now, replacing your toilet is a bigger job than the average homeowner wants to tackle but it’s not really that complicated. It should be a fairly straight-forward job for a professional and it wouldn’t require too much disruption.
Add a Rain Barrel
Or add several of them if you have space. You can store hundreds of gallons of rain water in a few barrels, which can be used to water your gardens or even the lawn. Doesn’t necessarily provide you with drinking water, but if you don’t have to hook up the hose to the main water supply to give your flowers a drink, then it’s still saving you water.
You can buy barrels at most gardening stores, complete with spigots and screened lids (to keep out mosquitoes). Try using one or all of these ideas and you’ll be saving significant amounts of water at home in no time.