Saving money is important all year long, but even more so during the summer months. Having extra money during the summer time means an extra day of vacation or, more time at the amusement park. Your water bill is one area of the budget that can get out of control during the summer months because of the extra watering in the yard and playing.
Here are some tips for saving water and money this summer:
Use the dishwasher. Rather that washing dishes by hand, load them into the dishwasher for the most efficient use of water. While it seems the opposite, the dishwasher is actually the more water saving way of washing dishes.
Showers, not baths. Taking a bath can use up to 50 gallons of water whereas, a shower only uses 20 gallons of water. Taking showers can be even more water-saving by adding a low-flow showerhead and getting it down to only 10 gallons of water being used. However, taking a bath is always going to use more water than necessary and can only be made more water-saving by not taking them at all.
Toilets. More than any other activity in the home, flushing the toilet uses the most water. In fact, 7 gallons of water per flush are sent down the drain. Make sure to only flush the toilet when doing #1 or #2 – never flush items down the toilet that belong in the garbage can. For instance, baby wipes, q-tips, and dental floss are all items that are common flushed. Not only is this a tremendous waste of water, it also will quickly lead to a clog in the sewer line.
Faucets. A tiny drip in the faucet (one drop per second) wastes nearly 3,000 gallons of water in one year. Not to mention the damage that leaking water will do to the wood of your vanity and cabinets. Fixing a leaking faucet is easy and inexpensive, and could save you a considerable amount of money in the long run due to saving water.
Washing machine. The summer time means extra loads of laundry because of dirty towels and bathing suits, camping gear, and stow aways from the garage. However, running loads of laundry that are not full will use more water than necessary. Instead, consider washing large loads of towels or sleeping bags at a laundromat rather than breaking them up into tiny loads in your home washer.
Follow these easy tips for saving water this summer and keep your budget on track for more fun!