Water Conservation Starts at Home
Posted by Moore Home Services
Plumbing
We’re lucky to live in Northern California. Parts of the state are dry as a bone, but in Santa Rosa we see an average rainfall of 38 inches every year. While this is the national average, it’s still not a lot. The idea of going green is a lifestyle trend we’re seeing gain more popularity. Because of this, we’ve had a lot of questions about water conservation. Today, we’re telling you can conserve water at home, here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks.
Conserving Water in the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the places we see the most water waste. Between washing your hands, washing dishes, and rinsing vegetables, a lot of water can go to waste. We can hear you asking why. The answer is leaving faucet turned on.
Perhaps the biggest waste of water occurs when you’re doing dishes and have the water running in the background. We recommend soaking your dishes then scrubbing to reduce water waste. Also, it’s a good idea to soak your vegetables before rinsing them. This allows for the food to be clean without an excessive use of streaming water.
How to Conserve Water in the Bathroom
Another room guilty of wasting too much water is the bathroom. Between washing your hands whenever you go to the bathroom, long showers, or even letting the water run while your brush your teeth, these actions can waste a staggering amount of water.
The average bathroom faucet lets out around two gallons of water every minute. That’s a lot of water to waste if the faucet stays on the whole time. Another thing you can do to help conserve water is to install an aerator in your faucet if there isn’t one already. A faucet aerator helps restrict and optimize the flow of water.
Think a dripping showerhead is no big deal? Think again. A showerhead that leaks 10 drips per minute can waste 500 gallons of water every year. In addition to draining resources, this wasted water can make your bills higher than they need to be. If you’re wary about water conservation at home, try a low-flow showerhead.
It’s also important to note that a constantly dripping faucet or showerhead can be an indicator of larger plumbing problems. It’s best to have everything checked out to ensure small problems stay small.
Curb Your Outdoor Water Usage
We’re seeing a rise in native gardens for a good reason. Many of the plants and grasses used by landscapers are not native to Northern California. Instead, more homeowners are using native plants that can tolerate wet winters and incredibly dry summers. This allows homeowners to have lush gardens and use less water during the summer and other dry months.
However, if you have a non-native lawn or garden you greatly enjoy there are other options. Try using a classic watering pail so you can control how much water goes in your grass.
Two great options for keeping a rich garden without wasting water are drip irrigation or a soaker hose system. By installing a drip irrigation system, water is distributed directly to the base of your plants, so none goes to waste. Drip irrigation can run on timers so you can customize when they run and for how long. The biggest drawback could be upfront costs.
A soaker hose is similar to a traditional watering hose except for its “weeping.” When this hose is turned on, it drips water along the entire length of the hose itself. This means the area directly around the hose is getting a good soaking, so water won’t go to waste. Just like drip irrigation systems, soaker hoses can run on a customized timer. They are relatively affordable, but you need to spread mulch, or another cover, over them because sunlight can damage these hoses.
Check Your Water with a Plumbing Safety Inspection
Many homeowners don’t know about the quality of their water or plumbing system. At Moore Home Services, we offer a plumbing safety inspection which will give you a personalized report of the water and pipes in your home. One of our skilled plumbers will inspect nearly every part of your plumbing system and let you know if any problems need to be discussed.
When it comes to conservation, we’ll check your water pressure and see if it’s at a normal, efficient rate. Our plumbers will also look closely at your plumbing insulation. This is important because if your insulation is ragged it can affect how long you need to run your water to reach a warm temperature.
Want to Learn More? Call Us!
Are you interested in having someone take a look at your pipes? Then don’t hesitate to give us a call! Dial the number at the top of the screen to speak with one of our helpful call center representatives or click here to schedule an appointment online. Moore Home Services is a Diamond Certified company proudly serving our Santa Rosa, Sonoma, and North Bay communities.
