There’s a lot of financial uncertainty in the world right now, and we all want to save as much as we can. The last thing anyone needs is to be nickel and dimed by their water bill every month. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household wastes around 180 gallons of water a week! Fortunately, there are a few tried and true ways to make sure your plumbing is running efficiently so you can save every penny.
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Check Faucets and Pipes
The first and most obvious thing to do is check all your plumbing for any leaks, drips, and unexplained running water and repair any problem areas. All of these can cause your water bill to creep higher and higher each month, not to mention they can cause water damage to your home over time. Take the time to regularly check pipes, faucets, toilets, and showerheads for any leaking. Don’t forget to look at your exterior hose spigot as well as these are a commonly missed source of running water.
Upgrade Appliances
Although replacing your appliances is clearly more costly upfront, newer washing machines and dishwashers are designed to clean better while using less water making them far more efficient. Additionally, you can look into having either a hybrid or tankless water heater installed, both of which are more energy efficient and use less water than a traditional water heater. If your appliances are getting older, it’s a good idea to consider upgrading to save on your monthly water and utility bills.
Replace Parts
If replacing entire appliances is out of the question, you can still save some money every month with smaller changes. Most faucets lose their aerator over time which means there’s a higher volume of water coming through – more than you need. Replacing the aerator or replacing the faucet completely will reduce the volume of water coming out of the faucet and the volume of water being wasted. Some other inexpensive but impactful changes are replacing your showerheads with more efficient models and operating your toilets at low flow.
The key to decreasing your monthly water bill is increasing the overall efficiency of your plumbing. Replacing faucets and appliances with more efficient models and maintaining your existing plumbing to eliminate waste are surefire ways to drop your water bill and help save money over time.