Water is finite, so saving as much as you can in your Tucson home is both economical and environmentally responsible. There are several practices that you can implement in your house to reduce how much water your family is using. Some of these you can do yourself, while others work best if you enlist the help of an experienced plumber.
1. Fix Leaks Quickly
Leaks can occur anywhere in your plumbing system. The most common places are running toilets, dripping faucets, and leaky fixtures and pipes. Over time, a leak can waste dozens or more gallons of water. A plumber can find the source of the leak and give you the best options for how to fix it.
2. Upgrade Your Appliances
Any appliances that use water have upgrade options for ones that are more water-efficient. For example, look for low-flow toilets, high-efficiency washing machines, and dishwashers with an ENERGY STAR rating. Compared to older models, water-efficient models use a lot less water, and they save on energy, too.
3. Fix Your Toilet
If your toilet is running, this could cost you hundreds of gallons of wasted water over the course of a few weeks. It is best to call a plumber since they can identify the issue fast and fix it. This is often due to something like a faulty valve, so the fix generally does not take them long to do.
4. Use Your Toilet Strategically
A major component of your home’s water usage is your toilets. Only use your toilet for for going to the bathroom and never to get rid of trash, such as cotton balls or tissues used to blow your nose. Consider a dual-flush toilet so that you are using less water for liquids than solid waste. Low-flow toilets also save considerable amounts of water.
5. Use Low-Flow Shower Heads
Save gallons of water per shower by using low-flow shower heads. These still have just as much water pressure, so you are not sacrificing this. A plumber can recommend the best ones for your shower setup and your family’s needs.
6. Implement Water-Smart Landscaping
You can have beautiful landscaping and save on water when you choose the right options. In Tucson, plants that are resistant to drought are a good choice. Consider cacti or other native plants that do not require much water. You can also add some mulch since this will reduce evaporation and retain moisture to wet your plants. When you do need to water your landscaping, do so when there is no sun to limit evaporation.
7. Monitor Your Faucet Use
When you are doing tasks like washing the dishes or brushing your teeth, do not run the water unless you are rinsing. You can also chill water in the fridge so that you are not running your faucet waiting for it to get cold. A faucet aerator can be helpful because it will automatically restrict water usage without interfering with overall water pressure.
8. Collect Rainwater
Collecting rainwater gives you some water to use for your landscaping and other outdoor uses. Simply place barrels at your downspouts and the water will collect there instead of going into the ground. Tucson actually encourages residents to harvest rainwater for outdoor use.
9. Upgrade Your Dishwasher
While usually more water-friendly than hand washing your dishes, a dishwasher still uses several gallons of water for every cycle. Before you run your dishwasher, make sure that you have a full load of dishes and use the Eco Mode. You can also get a new dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR rating for greater efficiency.
10. Collect Greywater
This is a type of wastewater that is still mostly clean. You create greywater in your home after activities like doing laundry and taking a bath. You can use it for different non-potable uses in your home. To help keep this water even cleaner, consider using biodegradable detergents and soaps.
11. Get Regular Plumbing Maintenance
Your plumber can help you to set up a maintenance schedule that works for your household. Not only can this help to save water in your home, but it can also prevent bigger problems and increase the lifespan of your pipes and water-based fixtures. During a maintenance appointment, they will do a thorough inspection and let you know about anything that they need to fix. Ideally, you want to do this about once a year.
12. Create a Family Plan
Get your entire family in on the plan to conserve water in your home. Talk about things like not constantly running the faucets, taking shorter showers, collecting rainwater, and only running the dishwasher when it is full. These are all easy steps, and even younger kids can do these to help with the home’s water usage. You should also track usage so that you can see where you can make more changes to save even more water.
13. Insulate Hot Water Pipes
The faster you get access to hot water, the less time you need to run it to get to the desired temperature. This can save you gallons of water. The easiest way to keep your hot water hotter is to properly insulate your hot water pipes. This is a task that a plumber can do relatively quickly. They may use a variety of insulation and tape to ensure adequate insulation for your hot water pipes.
14. Utilize Efficient Watering Strategies
If you have a garden, you need to use water to ensure that it is thriving. Soaker hoses or drip irrigation will minimize evaporation and take the water right to the plant roots so that you can use less water to get the same result. Make sure that your sprinklers focus on your garden and not on things like your driveway so that the water is going exactly where you need it. Making sure to water your garden when the sun is not out will also save water since it decreases evaporation.
15. Incorporate Smart Technology
You can use various types of smart technology in your home to make it more efficient, and this extends to your house’s plumbing system. Make sure that an experienced plumber installs this technology so that it will work properly and save you the most water possible.
A smart water meter is an ideal choice because it allows you to see your water consumption in real time, allowing you to make the necessary changes whenever you need to. If you have an irrigation system, a smart irrigation controller can reduce how much water you are using outdoors.
Plumbing Experts in Tucson
Conserving water in Tucson is not too difficult when you make a solid plan. Your home can run just as efficiently as usual but with a lower water bill. We can help you with any installation or advice to ensure that your water usage is as low as possible. Our experts can also assist with your home’s other plumbing needs. Whether you need water treatment or a new water heater, we are here to do the job right. Contact Cal’s Plumbing in Tucson today to learn more about conserving water in your home.
