Home Improvement Tips To Lower Your Monthly Water Bill

When it comes to conserving water, there are a wide variety of home improvement steps, both big and little, that you can take.

1. Purchase Energy Star certified dishwashers and washing machines. These are rated by how much water they save in addition to energy. Look for models that allow you to adjust cycles and load size. Only run them only when they are completely full.

2. Test your shower head. If it can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, you should replace it with a water-efficient type. Installing a low-flow shower head is easy and inexpensive and can save up to 4 gallons a minute or 750 gallons a month.

3. If you dont like the feeling of a low-flow shower head, attach an air shower device to your shower head. This device adds extra air to each water drop, making it feel as big and strong as a typical drop, and it can cut water use by 30 percent.

4. Install a low-water toilet. Dual-flush models, which permit the user to determine how much water is required, save even more water.

5. Put water-saving aerators on all your faucets. Touchless faucets or faucets that use flow pedals are now available for residential use. They reduce water use by shutting off the flow more frequently.

6. Another great home improvement tip is to replace a conventional water heater with a tankless one that only heats the water you use. This saves on energy costs as well as water since you dont have to run the sink or shower while the water heats up.

7. Water your lawn in the morning to avoid losing water to evaporation. Make sure youre only watering the lawn and not the driveway or street.

8. Use rain water to water plants. If your municipality will allow it, use gray water for your outdoor watering needs.

9. When planting bushes, trees, and grass, use varieties that dont require as much water. Alternatively dont have a lawn at all, especially on slopes and hard-to-water areas. A yard of mostly bushes, trees, and other plantings are low maintenance.

10. Shorten your showers. Dont run the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.

11. Check diligently for leaks in faucets and toilets. This can save as much as 300 gallons of water a month.