Water conservation is a growing trend that many homeowners are taking seriously. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an easy way for you to take smart steps toward home water conservation with their WaterSense program. Items labeled through the program, including bathroom sinks, faucets, toilets and shower heads, are independently certified as providing 20 percent greater efficiency than comparable standard products.
In addition to upgrading to WaterSense certified products, take these steps to curb water consumption in different areas of your home.
In the Bathroom
Over 50 percent of household water consumption takes place in the bathroom.
- Turn off the faucet during activities like brushing teeth or shaving.
- Shower instead of bathing, and take shorter showers to save between two and five gallons per minute.
In the Kitchen
Roughly 10 percent of the average home’s water usage occurs in the kitchen.
- Use the dishwasher rather than hand washing. Just make sure it’s fully loaded for each use.
- Scrape but don’t rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher to save approximately 20 gallons of water per load.
- Install a low-flow aerator on the faucet to save up to two gallons per minute of use.
- Keep a pitcher of cold drinking water in the fridge instead of letting water run to cool down.
- Create a compost pile instead of putting food waste down the garbage disposal.
Around the House
There are many easy ways to get into a daily habit of conserving water.
- Check for and promptly fix plumbing fixture drips and leaky water pipes that can waste as much as 200 gallons of water a day.
- Avoid washing small loads in the clothes washer since they require twice as much water as a full load per pound of laundry.
- Insulate hot water pipes to prevent the needless waste that takes place while you’re waiting for hot water to arrive at the faucet.
- Opt for water-saving models that use significantly less water per load when replacing a dishwasher or clothes washer.
For expert help implementing home water conservation methods, contact the Portland area pros at Roth Heating & Cooling.
