Originally posted on https://johntheplumberkansascity.com/how-to-lower-your-water-bill-this-summer/

 

While summer can be fun, it can also be hot and miserable. It’s because of this sticky heat that we tend to run both our power and water bills up in an attempt to stay cool. This increase seems like a great idea to combat the sun until you get your first round of summertime bills.

If your water bill has you panicking, then it may be time for you to adjust how you’re using water to lower it back down. This sounds difficult, but you only need to know where to reduce. To assist you in saving water while staying cool at the same time, here are a few tips on how to lower your water bill in the summer.

1. Store Cold Water

During the summer, whether it’s because it’s hot inside or because you’re spending a lot of time outside, you’ll be drinking tons of tap water. While it doesn’t seem like this would throw your water bill out of balance, this slight change is enough to cost you hundreds of dollars.

You can get around this by storing cold water in your fridge either by making gallon pitchers of it or by refilling water bottles. Doing this will make you run to the tap less often.

2. Reduce How Long You Shower

We understand that you might feel gross about 99% of the time because it’s hot and sticky outside. You may not be able to resist taking a shower, but you can reduce how long you take.

Develop an in and out method. Go into the shower, rinse off, wash what you need to wash, and then hop out. If you know you have a habit of getting lost in shower thoughts, create a timer on your phone and get out once it goes off.

3. Don’t Let the Water Run

In regards to that last piece of advice, you may be asking “but what if I have to shave”? This is understandable, but you don’t have to run water to shave. Pour hot water into a cup and keep it by your side while you shave so you can rinse off your razor.

The same goes for brushing your teeth. Run the water long enough to rinse your toothbrush, but don’t run it while you’re actually doing the brushing. You’ll save tons of water this way.

4. Run Full Loads of Dishes and Laundry

With the summer comes family BBQs and plenty of outdoor activities. This means that you’ll go through dishes and clothes a lot faster. This isn’t a big deal unless you’re not filling the dishwasher and washing machines up as much as you can.

By only doing half loads, you end up having to do more loads later. Not only will you use more water, but more dishwasher liquid and laundry detergent as well.

Don’t Handwash Dishes

Speaking of dishes, don’t handwash them unless you don’t have a dishwasher. You’ll use up twice the water that way. Even rinsing plates off before you put them in the dishwasher wastes a surprising amount of water.

Instead, keep a small tub of clean water ready to rinse off the dishes and then put them in the washer. If the water starts to get a little gross, change it out.

5. Lawn Care

Extra laundry, dishes, thirst, and showering isn’t the only thing that will drive your bill up. You’ll dish out more money for lawn care during the summer than any other part of the year.

Check Your Sprinklers

If your sprinklers are damaged, they could be using up a lot of water without any payoff. For example, the sprinkler system could be failing to water your lawn evenly. You’ll have dead grass as a result.

The sprinklers could also overwater your lawn. Either way, you need to give your sprinklers a good once over at least once or twice a week.

Don’t Water in the Afternoon

If you water your lawn in the afternoon, it’s probably not going to do any good. In the afternoon the hot sun is at its highest, so any watering you do will evaporate.

If you water your lawn in the morning or at night, the water has a chance to absorb into the ground. You’ll see better results and won’t waste water.

Add Mulch

When you add mulch to your garden you’ll have to water your plants less because mulch holds in moisture. Mulch also makes your garden look great, keeps away weeds, and doesn’t attract any insects. It makes your garden healthier all around.

6. Check for Leaks

During the summer you’ll already be losing a lot of water due to some of the examples above. You don’t want to lose anymore due to leaks. If your doing some of these steps but still can’t keep your bill down then you may want to look around.

One way you can tell if you have a leak in your toilet is to drop food coloring in your toilet tank. If it ends up seeping into your bowl then you may need to get a plumber on the phone.

How to Lower Your Water Bill During the Hot Summer Months

With summer comes more washing, more watering, and way more drinking and bathing. This will leave you choking when you get your first summer water bill. You can save yourself some cash though. All you have to do is remember these tips on how to lower your water bill.

Even small leaks can cause a big hit to your bill. If you suspect that you have one, contact us to get an estimate on our services.