If you are an Edmonton resident who is mindful about water conservation, you know that the summer is the most difficult period to keep plumbing usage low. Average household water use peaks in the summer, which sees kids on school break and adults on extended vacations. In the summer there is more showering/bathing, more clothes to wash, more dishes to clean and more use of the commode. If you have kids in the house, pools and water activities will probably be a part of daily activities. Keeping water usage low throughout the break isn’t easy, but the professionals at Always Plumbing & Heating have some practical tips to help minimize the deluge.
Fix Plumbing Leaks
This might sound like an obvious suggestion, but it is surprising how many people will live with a slow leak rather than fixing it. Whether it is a faucet leak, a leak coming from the base of a fixture or a pipe leak, it’s not going to stop on its own. A slow, consistent leak might be easy to overlook, especially if the water escaping is easily contained. But leaks are extremely wasteful – the average household loses around 22 gallons of water every day. Assess all the water fixtures in your home and repair any leaks in your plumbing.
10 Things you Must Know About Plumbing Leaks
Smart Lawn Watering
Make sure that you water your lawn in the morning when the air is cooler. Water evaporates at a higher rate when it is warmer, so watering your lawn later in the day won’t help maximize use. Watering in the evening is also not recommended as the cooler night air will not allow the water to dry out properly. Damp areas can leave your lawn susceptible to fungus and other disease. You might consider investing in a smart sprinkler system that you can control from an app installed on your phone. These systems will never water the lawn when it’s raining – and can adjust its watering schedule based on previous and future weather patterns.
Reduce Water Usage
Small changes in the way that you use water around the house can help drastically cut down usage. Stop hand-washing your dishes – and only run a dishwasher cycle when the machine is full. Don’t pre-rinse dirty dishes before loading them into the machine as you can waste up to 20 gallons of water per load. If you have kids, consider giving them showers instead of baths. A five-minute shower (using a standard shower head) will use around 10 – 12.5 gallons of water as opposed to a standard bath which uses about 30 gallons of water. Installing low-flow fixtures will also help in curbing summer water usage.
Outdoor Water Use
If you own a pool, make sure that you keep as much water as you can by covering it when not in use. In the heat of the summer, a pool can lose an average of a quarter inch of water each day through evaporation. Depending on the heat and humidity, it can lose even more. If you don’t own an inground or above ground pool and use wading pools or water toys for outdoor recreation, consider taking the kids to a public pool or water park this summer. All outdoor pools are offering free admission this summer to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.
Buy a Rain Barrel
Rain barrels have become increasingly popular in recent years. Collecting the water from your roof and reusing it to water your garden and other areas in your yard is a smart use of the runoff. It will help you to reduce the amount of drinking water you use to water your yard – and help curb pollution from untreated water runoff. Acquiring a barrel is easy and will pay for itself in a matter of months.
Conserving water (and saving money) in the summer is attainable if you take these practical tips into consideration. If you need assistance with repairing those fixture leaks, our professionals can help you both quickly and efficiently. Do you have some slow leaks that need the attention of an experienced plumber? Call us at 780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253 (Fort McMurray) to schedule an appointment today!
More Information on Edmonton Water Conservation
Related Blogs:
Summer Water Safety for Edmonton Homes
Supply Valve Locations in Your Edmonton Home
To request a service appointment, give us a call at 780-489-8118 or contact us online.
