During the summer months, water usage tends to increase. Your family might be taking more showers, and you may find yourself doing more laundry than usual. Outdoor play, sports uniforms, and sweaty clothing can all mean more loads of wash, and of course, that means an increase in the amount of water – and energy – you’re using in your home.
Fortunately, there are ways you can conserve both water and energy in your home during the summer months. In this article, we’ll share some tips with you that can help keep the water flowing (especially important if you’re on a well system) and potentially help save some money on your utility bills. Keep reading to learn more!
5 Tips for Saving Energy & Water This Summer
- Consider installing low-flow faucets. Low-flow faucets and shower heads are simple and generally inexpensive replacements that can make a lot of difference when it comes to the amount of water used in your home. By some estimates, they can reduce your home water use by nearly 50 percent, while helping you save on water heating costs as well.
- Time to replace your toilet? Like low-flow faucets and shower heads, water-efficient toilets are also available. They can help cut down on the amount of water per flush. For instance, some low-flow toilets use around 2 gallons of water per flush, compared to older models that use up to 7 gallons. As you can see, that’s a lot of water savings just in one day!
- Turn your water heater down just a few degrees. Many people keep their water heaters at around 140ºF, which not only uses a lot of energy but can also be dangerous. Water heated to that temperature can cause scalding, according to the Department of Energy. They suggest that most households only require water heaters to be set at 120ºF, which can keep your family safer, and help you save money on energy bills.
- Wash clothes in cold water. While it might seem like hot water is the best for washing clothing and other textiles, cold water is usually fine. In fact, today’s detergents are mostly made to be cold-water compatible. Of course, check the label on clothing and other fabrics for manufacturer washing suggestions.
- Speaking of laundry… Summertime is a great time to put your laundry out on the line to dry. This is especially great for sheets and towels, which may take longer in the dryer than other fabrics and thereby use more energy to dry.
Want to learn more about conserving water and energy? Trademasters can help.
If you’d like to learn more about plumbing fixtures that can help you save both water and energy this summer, and all year long, Trademasters can help! We provide a wide range of plumbing services for your home, from faucet and toilet replacement to energy-efficient hot water heater installation. To learn more about our plumbing services, simply give Trademasters a call at 703-644-6400. We will be more than happy to schedule an appointment with you.