While many people think of their electric bills rising in the summer, it can also serve as an opportunity for water bills to go up. The good news is that the high costs don’t have to happen. There are several plumbing tips to keep in mind that can help you keep summer water bills at a minimum.
1. Schedule a Professional Inspection
An annual plumbing inspection can make a significant difference in helping to keep your summer water bills as low as possible. Our team can perform a professional inspection to ensure your plumbing system is in great shape. We’ll check a variety of components, including your water heater, plumbing pipes, toilet, faucets, and several other areas. The inspection typically takes an hour or two, depending on the size of your property and the complexity of your plumbing system, but it can save you a substantial amount of money. We recommend being home during the appointment.
Leaks are one of the primary problems we’ll check for. One of our plumbers will look under your sinks and in other areas where leaks commonly occur. Water leaks can spike your water bills, especially the longer they happen without being properly addressed. Other issues our plumbers will look for include corrosion, slow-draining water, and dripping faucets.
Consider our plumbing, heating, and cooling service partner membership to save money on the service and many others for your home. Review our “Start Your Membership” page for more details.
2. Do Self-Inspections Throughout Summer
Self-inspections are important to do throughout the summer and the rest of the year. They allow you to notice when something doesn’t seem right, like if water is leaking from the P-trap underneath your sink, so you can call us immediately. Check various aspects of your system, including faucets, toilets, and exposed pipes. We recommend weekly self-inspections, especially if extra people are staying at your home and the plumbing system is seeing an uptick in use.
3. Schedule a Landscaper Appointment
Spending time outdoors and caring for your lawn, plants, and flowers requires significant water use. Scheduling an appointment with a landscaper allows you to create an effective plan that minimizes water use and helps keep your yard thriving and looking fantastic.
Your landscaper can tell you how long it takes to water and the best watering time for your property to reduce fast evaporation. They can also advise which products, such as digital smart sprinklers, may be ideal for helping you cut back on water use and decrease water bills.
4. Shorten Your Showers
Many people take extra (or longer) showers during the summer due to sweating more and spending additional time outdoors. For every 1 minute of shower time, you use approximately 2.5 gallons of water. Taking a shower for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended for proper cleaning, which means you’re using 12.5 to 25 gallons of water during that time. The closer you can keep your showers to 5 minutes, the better it is for your water bills.
5. Don’t Run Water Longer Than Necessary
It’s easy to get into habits that waste water. For instance, you might leave the water running while brushing your teeth. You use approximately 2.2 gallons of water per minute if you have a standard faucet. If you brush your teeth for two minutes twice daily, that’s 8.8 gallons of water per day. You shouldn’t cut down on how long you brush your teeth, but you can cut down on how much water you use by turning it off while brushing.
Assume that you leave the water running for only 1 minute every time you brush your teeth instead of throughout the entire process. That means you’re using 4.4 gallons of water per day while brushing your teeth instead of 8.8 gallons, which is 1,606 gallons compared to 3,212 gallons per year. Turning the water off while brushing your teeth is great for your water bill and the environment.
6. Change Your Laundry Habits
You may have more dirty laundry to wash during the summer due to spending more time outside and sweating through clothes or getting them dirty. Several laundry habits could result in you wasting water, such as doing partial loads instead of full loads. Another common habit of overloading the washing machine may result in you having to rewash the clothes if they didn’t get cleaned properly.
The best thing you can do is read the washing machine owner’s manual. It can inform you of how to properly use the appliance, such as how high the clothes should be in the drum to do a full load. Changing habits can lower your utility bills and even help preserve the integrity of your clothing.
7. Start a Compost Pile
If you have a garbage disposal, constantly running it uses a massive amount of water. Starting a compost pile means you can use the appliance much less frequently and don’t have to toss the scraps into the trash. This can be especially beneficial if you have an indoor or outdoor garden, as compost can be great for plants and growing fruits and vegetables. Compost bins are easy to use, are available in various sizes, and take up minimal space.
8. Defrost Food in the Fridge
Summer is a big season for entertaining, which typically means cooking in bulk. After storing food in the freezer, many people defrost it by putting it under running water in the sink. Although effective, this method typically takes at least 15 minutes but may take longer, using up a significant amount of water in the process.
If possible, avoid freezing the food altogether, preventing the need to do the defrosting process. The next best option is to defrost it in the fridge, allowing the food to safely and slowly defrost while maintaining its quality.
9. Change Your Cooking Methods
Bulk cooking can mean using a lot of water for the cleanup process, especially if you’re hosting gatherings one or more times per week. Consider changing up your cooking methods when you’re hosting. For instance, instead of using standard pots and pans for the oven and having to wash them afterward, use disposable pans so you can throw them out. Additionally, cook on the outdoor grill as much as possible, preventing having to use reusable pots and pans on the stove or in the oven.
10. Collect Rainwater
It’s easy to underestimate how much water you use to water gardens and potted indoor and outdoor plants. Consider collecting rainwater instead of using water from the faucet. It’s not legal in all states, but it’s legal in Indiana. One option is purchasing a rain barrel or using buckets or other containers you already have.
Collecting rainwater can save a good amount of money throughout the year, especially considering Indianapolis typically gets an average of 42 inches of rain annually. Cover the top of the container to prevent animals from getting into it. You can then use this water for your plants and lawn.
Create a plan to keep your summer water bills low. Also make sure to fix leaks fast, because even a small drip adds up quickly. Hope Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Indianapolis, IN, is your source for reliable plumbing services including installations, inspections, and repairs that can help. Book an appointment online through our website or call one of our team members today.
