How to Save Water

By Expert Writer: Mylo Paisley

Crystal Blue Plumbing Heating & AIr

http://crystalblueplumbing.com/

3129 Swetzer Road # C Loomis CA 95650

916-577-5020

• Inside Your Home
• With your Appliances
• Outside your Home
• With Pools & Hot Tubs
• General Tips
• Drip Calculator
• Water Saving Evaluation

Inside Your Home

• Washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• For a cold glass of water, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not your drain.
• Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. Then reuse it to water your houseplants.
• Try soaking pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you clean them.
• Don’t use running water to thaw frozen foods. Defrost your frozen food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
• Re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods to start a scrumptious and nutritious soup or broth.
• Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
• Make sure there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
• Limit the number of utensils, plates, flatware, glasses, and other dishes used with pre-paring meals with. Generally, the more items you have to wash, the more water will be required.
• Place drinking water on the table only if people really drink it. Pouring unused water down the drain is like throwing money out of the window. (Incidentally, some restaurants will bring water to your table only if you request it.)
• Have Crystal Blue Plumbing re-route your gray water to planters, landscaping and gardens rather than letting it run down the drain.
• Use a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save a family of four up to 17,000 gallons of water a year.
• Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month.
• To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
• Turn off the water while you wash your hair, shave & lather up to save up to 150 gallons a month.
• When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on. Then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Bathe your young children together.
• Cut down on the number of showers and baths you take. The ordinary shower, equipped with a conventional shower head, uses from 5 to 10 gallons of water per minute. Showering accounts for approximately 30 percent of the total water used in the home.
• It’s a hard statistic to nail down, but a person uses between fifty and seventy gallons of water each time he or she takes a bath. This number includes water wasted waiting for the desired temperature as well as hot water used to return the cooling water to the desired temperature.
• Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
• If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank.
• Upgrade older toilets with more efficient (1.2 gpf.) models.
• Install a dual-flush toilet.
• Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• If your toilet flapper doesn’t close after flushing, replace it.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.
• Listen for dripping faucets; fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more.
• When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
• When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
• If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
• For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
• When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don’t throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.

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With your Appliances

• When buying new a washing machine, consider models which offer cycle and load size adjustments. They’re more water and energy efficient.
• Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
• When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too.
• The permanent press cycle on most automatic clothes washers uses approximately one-third more water than the regular cycle. Therefore, limiting your use of the permanent press cycle will save water.
• When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
• Run your clothes washer only when they are full. You can save up to 700 gallons a month.
• Compare the water requirements of different dishwashers before buying one. Purchase the model which has a “water miser” cycle, which uses less water than the normal wash cycle.
• If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
• Run your dishwasher only when it’s full. You can save up to 300 gallons a month.
• Some refrigerators, air conditioners and ice-makers are cooled with wasted flows of water. Consider upgrading with air-cooled appliances for significant water savings.
• Setting cooling systems and water softeners for a minimum number of refills saves water, plus more savings on your utility bills.
• Limit the amount of cycles your water softener runs through. Consider replacing your traditional water softener with newer water saving alternatives.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly and compost your vegetable food wastes, instead of letting that water go down your drain.
• At each of your sinks measure how much water goes down your drain before you get hot water. Remember to multiply that by how my times you use it a day, month & year. Be ready its scary!
• If possible install your water heater as near as possible to the area in which the most hot water is used. The farther the water heater is away from the point of use, the greater the amount of cool water which must be run off before hot water reaches the tap.
• Consider a new comfort kit which adds a re-circulation pump to your system and use the cold line as the return. Have hot water ready when you need it. Don’t let those dollar bills go down your drain any more.
• Install a instant hot water heater under your farthest sink from your water heater. So you don’t have to run the water while it heats up.

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Outside your Home

• Choose shrubs and groundcovers instead of grass for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips.
• Start planting in the fall when conditions are cooler and you can use rainfall to your advantage.
• Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
• Consult with your local nursery for information on plant selection and placement for optimum outdoor water savings.
• If installing a lawn, select a turf mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions.
• By leaving lower branches on trees and shrubs you create more shadows. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
• Plant with finished compost; too add water-holding and nutrient-rich organic matter to the soil.
• Use a layer of organic material on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water.
• Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid over watering some while under watering others.
• If your landscape has a water feature or waterfall, ensure that this remains off while no one is around to appreciate it. It may be beneficial to have a timer or shut off installed by Crystal Blue Plumbing.
• Use other planting materials that require little or no water.
• Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region.
• Let your lawn go dormant during the summer. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three weeks or less if it rains.
• Aerate your lawn at least once a year so water can reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
• Consider replacing your real grass with a natural looking fake turf. These have become more affordable and more natural looking in the past few years.
• Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants retains moisture and saves water, time and money.
• If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
• To decrease water from being wasted on sloping lawns, apply water for five minutes and then repeat two to three times.
• Walkways and patios provide space that doesn’t ever need to be watered. These useful “rooms” can also add value to your property.
• We’re more likely to notice leaks indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets and hoses for leaks.
• Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the sprinkler heads in good shape.
• Check the root zone of your lawn or garden for moisture before watering using a spade or trowel. If it’s still moist two inches under the soil surface, you still have enough water.
• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
• Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.
• Use sprinklers for large areas of grass, water small patches by hand to avoid unnecessary waste.
• Use a “soaker” hose rather than a sprinkler, where possible. Less water is required when a “soaker” hose is used because the water is concentrated on the soil nearer the roots; and there is, also, less evaporation.
• Use sprinklers that deliver big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller water drops and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
• Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots where it’s needed.
• Direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems into your water-loving plants, gardens & landscape for automatic water savings.
• Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won’t run when it’s raining. Then learn how to shut off your automatic watering system in case it malfunctions or you get an unexpected rain.
• Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons a minute.
• Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.
• Water only when necessary, more plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.
• Adjust your watering schedule each month to match seasonal weather conditions and landscape requirements.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk and save water every time.
• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
• Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save water and prevent damage to your home.
• Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
• Use a minimum amount of organic or slow release fertilizer to promote a healthy and drought tolerant landscape.
• Don’t let children play with the water hose. Thirty minutes of fun could waste up to several hundred gallons of water.
• Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
• When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
• Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
• Wash your car on the lawn, and you’ll water your lawn at the same time.
• Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You’ll save up to 100 gallons every time.
• Wash the car with a sponge and bucket. In Alaska during the winter months you learn to bucket wash your vehicle inside a nice toasty warm garage.
• Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water.
• Winterize outdoor spigots when temperatures dip below freezing to prevent pipes from leaking or bursting.
• Insulate hot water pipes for more immediate hot water at the faucet and for energy savings.

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Pools & Hot Tubs

• Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
• If you have an automatic refilling device, check your pool periodically for leaks.
• Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with re-circulating pumps.
• Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later to see if you have a leak.
• When back flushing your pool, consider using the water on your landscaping. “Every backwash of two to three minutes will use between 100 to 300 gallons of water.”
• Cover wading and swimming pools when they are not in use to reduce evaporation. Evaporation necessitates the use of more water to keep the pools filled.
• Turn down your pool thermostat if you have a heated pool & lower the temperature a few degrees. The hotter the water, the more it evaporates away.
• Wind whipping across the surface of the pool will remove water from the pool. A windbreak can help you conserve water as well as energy costs.
• Maintain the chemical balance in your pool. This will help prevent algae bloom which may need to be vacuumed or back washed which will waste water.
• Horseplay and splashing will waste water. I personally enjoy horseplay, roughhousing and shenanigans. But horseplay does waste water. Knocking it off will save water.
• If your pool has a water feature or waterfall, ensure that this remains shut off while no-one is around to appreciate it as these invariably cause considerable additional evaporation and chemical losses. It may pay to have a shut-off valve fitted if you do not already have one.

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General Tips

• Encourage your school system and local government to develop and promote water conservation among children and adults.
• Make suggestions to your employer about ways to save water and money at work.
• Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial uses.
• Share water conservation tips with friends and neighbors.
• Report all broken pipes, open hydrants & errant sprinklers you see to their property owner or your water provider.
• While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
• Locate and repair, as soon as possible, all leaking water pipes detected by visual inspection. For example, you normally can suspect a leak if you find unexplained dark green patches of grass or a permanently damp area of ground on your property. An unexplained jump in your water bill may also indicate a leak in your water mains.
• Check to see if there are leaks in your plumbing system, which are not evident from visual inspection. To do this, first turn off completely all water faucets inside and outside of the house, turn off the automatic ice maker, and don’t flush the commode. Watch your water meter for one-half hour. If the dial on the water meter moves, you have a leak somewhere. Locate the leak and repair it as soon as possible. The longer you delay repairs, the more water and money you will waste.
• When you are away from home for more than a day, consider turning off the water supply to your outside faucets. This will prevent loss of water should someone turn on the outside faucets while you are away. Or, you might consider placing locks on the outside faucets to prevent someone from turning them on. These precautions could save you from an unexpected rise in your water bill.
• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
• Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It’s simple, inexpensive, and you can save 140 gallons a week.
• Teach your children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
• When you save water, you save money on your utility bills too. Saving water is easy for everyone to do.

Use Contact Us to add additional water saving tips you think would be beneficial to help all of us save water. Thank you from all of us at Crystal Blue Plumbing.

Drip Accumulator: How much water does a leaking faucet waste?

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