You might be surprised how much water you use each day in your home. On average, most households use 60 gallons of water per person every day. From taking showers to washing dishes, managing water in your home could help the environment and your wallet. Water use typically increases during the summer months as we take care of plants and vegetable gardens or turn on the hose for summer fun. Here are some of the daily activities that use the most water:
Toilets - According to the Environmental Protection Agency, older toilets can use up to seven gallons of water per flush! If you have a leaky toilet, you could waste about 200 gallons per day. A solution could be converting to Water Sense toilets or pressure-assist toilets.
Bath vs Showers – Taking a long soak in a hot bath uses up to 50 gallons of water compared to approximately half that for a quick shower.
Washing clothes – Up to 50 gallons of water can be used per load when washing clothes using a traditional washer and dryer. If you have energy-saving appliances such as a non-agitator washer, water use is approximately 27 gallons of water per load, according to the EPA.
Hand washingdishes vs using a dishwasher – For those committed to washing dishes in the sink each day, you are using up to 27 gallons of water per load. Today’s energy-efficient dishwashers use as much as five gallons of water per load. You might reconsider rinsing food off plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Pre-rinsing, according to Consumer Reports, wastes more than 6,000 gallons of water per household each year.
Consider replacing old equipment (like toilets, dishwashers, and laundry machines).
When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water i nstead of under running water.
Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
Only run the dishwasher when it's full.
When buying a dishwasher, select one with a "light-wash" option.
Only water the lawn when necessary. If you water your lawn and garden, only do it once a week, if rainfall isn't sufficient. Avoid watering on windy and hot days. Water the lawn and garden in the morning or late in the evening to maximize the amount of water that reaches the plant roots (otherwise most of the water will evaporate).
To learn more about controlling water usage in your home, calculate your water footprint here.
Get the latest water solutions for your home by consulting with the experts at L.D. Smith Plumbing. Contact us for information about energy-efficient plumbing fixtures for your home.
Guess which city has some of the hardest water in the U.S.?
Yes, Indianapolis is among the top cities in America with the hardest water. If left untreated, it could cost you thousands in plumbing repair and appliance replacement – much earlier than normal. Living in Indianapolis, you know spotty dishes, scaly build up on faucets and clogged plumbing are consequences of living in a city with hard water. It’s not a matter of IF the problem should be addressed, but HOW. Again, not investing in water treatment could lead to significant problems with your plumbing system, including water heaters operating inefficiently, which will cause heating bills to rise. This video shows the inside of water heater operating in a home without a treatment system.
For those who don’t like water softeners or live in a home not equipped
for one, consider Flow-Tech. This is a saltless water conditioner. See a
demo here.
Reversed Osmosis drinking water systems. These systems provide cleaner, safer drinking water in your home. It removes pollutants, lead, heavy metals and even germs such as e.Coli from your drinking water.
A water softening system is another popular option for homeowners who don't want mineral buildup impacting their skin and other aspects of their daily lives.
The team at L.D. Smith Plumber is highly trained in water treatment systems. Contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss the best options for your home.
Gas lines & Sewer line replacements in Indianapolis among the most popular summer plumbing projects
The official start of summer is weeks away, but our plumbing experts are already busy meeting customer demand for popular seasonal projects. Here are our most requested plumbing appointments during the summer. Do any of these sound familiar in your home?
Extra outside faucets - This one is very popular for customers with gardens and landscaping projects who desire to have a faucet near their work area to avoid dragging a hose across the yard. Check out our deal on outside faucets here.
Drain cleaning and sewer line replacement - Tree roots get thirsty so they prey on the old underground drain lines when the weather warms up. Drain cleaning and sewer line replacement in Indianapolis is very common this time of year as customers call us about foul smells or clogged drains.
Remodel projects - Summer is the best time for major home projects and, often, remodeling work includes plumbing.
Gas lines - Summer means cookouts. We receive frequent calls during the season to install additional gas lines.
Irrigation systems - Customers call us to connect irrigation systems to city water.
Is a plumbing project on your to-list this summer? Contact us to schedule an appointment for an estimate.
