Does it seem like you are spending more and more money month after month on utility bills? With some adjustments to your daily routine, it’s possible to put some of that money back in your wallet. Here are 11 things you can start doing soon with little to no money invested to begin saving on your bills:
1. Dishwasher > Washing Dishes by Hand. Using the dishwasher is best for saving water as you can accomplish more cleaning with less water and you can save on water that you will be using for cleaning your sink and other kitchen areas also. When you do this every day you can reduce your water bill by over 6 to 8%.
2. Showers > Baths. Taking a shower instead of the bath can save you tons of water and energy. If you’re giving your children baths, try filling the tub only half way instead of all the way to the top.
3. Low-Flow Shower Head. Installing a low-flow shower head is another way of reducing your water usage in your bathroom. There are tons of options available that distribute great water pressure to help you save on the amount of water being consumed, and energy to heat it. This will give a saving of around 330 Kilowatt hours
of electrical energy and about 6 to 8% water bill for an average household of 4 persons.
4. Rain Barrels. Install a rain barrel to capture the run-off from the roof that can be used later for irrigating your garden and lawn and this will reduce the amount of water drawn from your plumbing system
5. Fix the Drips. Never allow leaky pipes or faucets to drip water for longer periods of time. This is one of the biggest sources of higher utility bills. Give Rooterman a call if you need help with a leaky faucet or pipe.
6. Clean & Install Faucet Aerators. Installing faucet aerators help reduce water consumption by up to seven gallons per minute. These aerators reduce the flow (not the pressure) of water from your faucet by introducing air to the water stream. You’ll most likely notice an aerator in your bathroom faucet, those mesh twist on piece. You should clean these 2x per year.
7. High-Efficiency Toilets. Some of the older toilets are water hogs. Installing high-efficiency toilets can help reduce the use of water dramatically depending on the style you choose. Newer efficiency toilets can get you around 1.25 gallons per flush.
9. Big Loads in the Laundry Washing Machine. Washing full loads of laundry can help you save up to 15–45 gallons for every load of laundry.
10. Turn your Water Heater down. The water heater is a major source of energy costs and by turning down the heat on your water heater you can reduce the energy it needs to heat water and this will drastically reduce your energy costs. Most water heaters have a small dial that adjusts the heat on the side of the tank, digital water heaters will have buttons to lower the temperature.
11. Cold Water in the Laundry Washing Machine. Generally, hot water is not needed to clean laundry unless extremely dirty and soiled. Switch to cold cycles and your water heater will work far less and last far longer.