Every family wants to save money. One way to accomplish this is by trimming the expenses at home. Chances are, you could cut down your water and energy bills by taking some simple measures.
The following tips could help your family save on utility bills and repair fees:
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- Turn off the taps – A dripping tap can waste up to 15 gallons of water each day, adding approximately $100 to your annual water bill. In addition to costing you money, water drips are just plain annoying, especially when you are trying to get to sleep at night. Save money by making sure that the taps around your house are turned off completely. If the tap has a leak, fix it immediately. You can do it yourself if you have the right tools or knowledge, or you can call a professional plumber to do the job.
- Install a low-flow showerhead – This small step can do a lot to lower your water bill. A conventional showerhead uses up to 42 gallons of water in 10 minutes. Low-flow showerheads uses significantly less.
- Expose hidden leaks – You don’t usually see all the water leaks in your house. Many of them are hidden, requiring some detective work to expose them. To find out if you have a leak, check your water meter when nobody is using water in the house. If you see the dial in the water meter moving, you can be pretty sure that there is a hidden water leak. The next step will be finding the leak. Call a professional if you need help.
- Always check your drains – Drains are typically neglected until they become clogged. You can keep your drains in working condition by pouring a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Use strainers in the sink and in the bathtub drains. Do your best to keep hair out of the sink and off the shower floor. Do not use chemical drain cleaners because they could damage the pipes.
- Listen – If you hear your toilet making gurgling noises, there could be a drain problem in your house. Also, check for wet marks in the area of the floor drains. Gurgling sounds and wet areas are indicative of breaks in your drainage pipes. Call a certified plumber for repairs.
- Follow garbage disposal guidelines – Garbage disposals are not indestructible machines. When you throw in items that are not disposal-friendly, there could be blockages and an eventual demise of your machine. Items such as fruit pits, poultry skin, and bananas should never be put into the garbage disposal.
- Do not put fats and oils down the drain – When these liquids cool down, they will gradually build up along the walls of the pipes and cause clogging.
- Dental floss and hair – The right place for your used dental floss and discarded hair is the trash bin—not the drain. These items will not break down when they accumulate inside the drainpipes and will cause clogging.
Consider having a family meeting to share ways you can save on plumbing costs around your home. When everyone is on board, it’s easier to have a significant impact on your bills.