Water is one of our most precious resources, yet you may often take it for granted as it flows from your fixtures. However, as utility bills rise, finding ways to save money on your water bill has never been more important. Every drop of water counts, and saving it can bring a noticeable decrease in the bill each month.
Water Bill Reduction Video Explanation
Property managers, here are FIVE plumbing upgrades that will save you money! 💰
1️⃣ Low-flow toilets. Where a traditional toilet uses up to 6 gallons per flush, low-flow toilets use around 1.5 or 25% of that. This will significantly reduce water usage and utility bills. 💧
2️⃣ Tankless water heaters. Traditional water heaters have to keep water hot continuously, tankless water heaters create hot water on demand. This reduces energy consumption by up to 30%!
3️⃣ Low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. These devices reduce water flow by around 50-100% plus they’re inexpensive and easy to install.
4️⃣ Install smart water monitors. These can help you detect leaks and abnormal water usage in real time so that you can address issues before they become major problems. 👍
5️⃣ Put in high-efficiency dishwashers and washing machines, they use significantly less water and energy! 📉⚡️
Each of these upgrades will not only improve your tenants lives, they’ll also put a significant amount of money back in your pocket each month. 🫶
What Uses the Most on Water Bill?
- Undetected Leaks: Water pipes and fixtures often leak. Failure to fix them wastes countless gallons of water. The result is a dramatic increase in your water bill. Even a small but continuous drip is enough to give you a severe headache.
- Toilets: An old toilet can use up to 7 gallons of water when you flush it just one time. Add other toilets to the mix in your home. That’s more than 30% of your total use of water.
- Showers and Baths: A long shower uses 8 gallons per minute. A bathtub takes around 70 gallons of water to fill.
- Washing Machines: An older model can easily consume 40-50 gallons of water per load, and the laundry every few days means a higher water bill.
- Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks: Tap running while washing dishes, brushing teeth, or shaving wastes lots of water.
- Lawn Irrigation: In dry climates, watering the lawn is directly proportional to 30-60% of your property’s water usage. Sprinklers that are not set or maintained further contribute to water waste.
- Dishwashers: An older dishwasher uses about 10-15 gallons per cycle. Its frequent use can result in a high water bill.
How To Lower Water Usage?
Install Low-Flow Showerheads
A low-flow showerhead uses only 2.5 gallons or less water per minute. It will lower your water consumption and decrease your monthly water bill.
Less hot water is needed with these showerheads. In return, your water heater will use less energy. That’s another bonus!
Replace Traditional Toilets with High-Efficiency Toilets
High-efficiency (low-flow) toilets use up to 1.28 gallons or less. They drastically minimize the amount of water used for each flush, and you see a noticeable decrease in your monthly water bill.
For example, switching to high-efficiency toilets could save an average family of four around 13,000 gallons of water every year.
Use Faucet Aerators
Faucet aerators are small devices that screw onto the end of its base. They mix air into the water stream and create a full, forceful flow. These decrease the amount of water used without affecting water pressure. The result? Lower water bills.
Shift to Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters don’t actually save water directly. They do lower your overall water heating costs. This can put a huge dent in your energy bill.
Tankless units only heat water on demand. This tackles the standby heat loss with traditional tanks, where hot water cools down and needs to be reheated.
Use an Efficient Dishwasher and Washing Machine
High-efficiency dishwashers use 4-6 gallons of water for each cycle. It’s a lot less than older models.
These new dishwashers have sensors that adjust water levels based on load size to optimize water use and lessen water waste.
The same goes with the latest washing machine models. They use 15-25 gallons per load by adjusting water levels to match the size of the laundry. Again, that’s much less than the water used by an older washing machine. In return, you get huge savings!
Fix Plumbing Leaks
Hidden plunging leaks—yep, they are more than an annoyance. The obvious benefit of fixing them is the quick cutback in water consumption, which means a lower bill. Although this maintenance can cost you a bit, with time, it will be offset by the water you’ll save.
Don’t know where to look for these leaks? These areas are the usual culprits:
- Toilets: Add some food coloring to the tank. Check the color in the bowl without flushing. If you see any colored water, there’s a leak.
- Faucets: Listen for dripping sounds. Check for moisture around the Faucet’s base.
- Pipes: Check plumbing pipes for visible leaks/damp spots.
- Outdoor faucets: Turn off the water and then check for leaks.
Conclusion
With a few simple changes, like fixing leaks or installing water-efficient fixtures, you can save a ton of money within a month. These practices not only benefit you financially but also help you preserve this precious resource for future generations.