Summer 2013
Give us a call today: 407-327-6000Ten Things You Can Do to Save Water
Conserving water in your home or business can be accomplished in a number of ways. While there are some more obvious methods used to save water, such as taking short showers or turning off the water while washing dishes in the sink, there are plenty of other ways to conserve water. Whether you own a home or a local business, you can easily save water and lower your utility bills simply by being aware.
Here are 10 ways to become more aware of your water usage and to conserve water:
1. Monitor Water Bills
Keep tabs on how much you typically spend on water bills. You can also contact your utility company and ask to see a yearly average for your home or office.
2. Repair Leaks
Even a small leak from a leaky faucet can waste a lot of water over time. Make sure you have a plumber repair any leaks in your home as soon as you notice them.
3. Install Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures
There are plenty of low flow plumbing fixtures on the market now. Replacing your old faucets with water–saving models could save up to 60% on water bills.
4. Toilet and Plumbing Appliance Upgrade
Toilets use up most of the water in a standard home. When you install a water–saving toilet, you could use 35% to 50% less water with each flush. There are also water–saving dishwashers and washing machines to reduce water usage.
5. Adjust Bathing Time
Taking shorter showers and turning off the water while shaving or brushing teeth will add up over time. Decreasing shower time even by a minute could save close to 150 gallons a month.
6. Use a Rain Barrel for Watering the Lawn
Rain barrels are easy to find or make on your own, and they are a great way to water your lawn or garden without running the garden hose for hours at a time. Watering early in the morning will also help to prevent immediate evaporation.
7. Use Online Water–Saving Calculators
By using an online water savings calculator, such as the one from Water Sense, you can get a general idea about how much water you could save by upgrading your plumbing equipment.
8. Only Do Laundry When There’s a Full Load
While you may want to wear that favorite shirt of yours tomorrow, it will save water to wait until there’s enough dirty laundry for a full load.
9. Compost Rather Than Using the Garbage Disposal
If you have the capability to compost at your home, try to throw food scraps onto the compost when you can. Even the little water used to run the garbage disposal will add up.
10. Cover Your Swimming Pool
If you own an outdoor swimming pool, try to keep it covered when you aren’t using it to prevent evaporation.
Thinking about replacing your water heater this summer? Here are few things to consider
There are few components in your home that are as important and crucial as your water heater. You use it every day to do a number of critical tasks like showering and cleaning. If your current water heater needs to be replaced this summer make sure that you carefully consider all of your options. Here are a few tips that could help you in the process of finding a new water heater for your home.
Type of Water Heater
There are a few different types of water heaters that are available to homeowner. It doesn’t hurt to do some research or talk with a professional contractor about which type of system is a good fit for your home.
Tankless water heaters
Tankless water heaters are definitely a popular choice for many homeowners that are interested in potentially reducing the amount of energy that they use to heat water. Tankless systems often offer an advantage over traditional tank water heaters because they only heat water on demand. This allows them to avoid the energy loss associated with tank systems having to constantly heat a large tank of water.
Tank water heaters
Tank water heaters are definitely the most common water heater in the country. They are generally less expensive to install than other systems and they provide plenty of hot water. Tank water heaters are generally the best choice for homes with children or teenagers that require a lot of hot water.
Solar water heaters
Heating water normally comprises a large portion of homeowners’ energy bills. With energy prices increasing recently, many homeowners are starting to look at other methods of heating water. Solar water heaters use the endless and free energy of the sun to provide hot water for their home. These kinds of systems are generally very effective even in colder climates.
Size of Water Heater
A major part of replacing your water heater will be to find the right–sized system of your home. If you choose a water heater that is too small for your home you could risk not getting enough hot water. But if you choose a larger hot water heater then it could cause you to increase your energy usage in your home. This is where the experience and knowledge of a professional contractor is normally very helpful. Working with a plumbing installation professional can help you make sure that you get the perfect water heater for your home.
Professional Installation
One of the most common causes of plumbing problems and water heater issues is bad installation. Make sure that your new water heater gets off on the right foot with professional installation. Your local plumbing contractor will be able to help you with the installation process and ensure that your water heater is set up for many years of efficient service.
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