One of our greatest responsibilities as plumbers and HVAC tech’s is to inform our community on ways that we can be better at conserving water and be more energy efficient.

In the summer is when we are most frivolous with our water use. We water our plants, use sprinklers for the kids to play in, we are filling and refilling our pools etc.

Some ways we can be more mindful is

1. Install low flow sprinkler heads and nozzles inside and outside of your home Low flow sprinkler heads spray less water but operate for longer allowing the water to properly absorb into the soil. Even though these sprinklers use less water, they still do a better job of delivering water to your plants’ roots. For homeowners, this means that you can save money on water costs, while also being environmentally friendly.

2. Upgrade your toilets

If you have a toilet in your home that is over 20-years-old it is flushing 3 gallons of water after every use, newer toilets only flush between 1.3-1.8 gallons of water saving you thousands of gallons of water a year.

3. Check for Leaks in Your Toilet Tank

A common cause of wasted water in many homes is a leak in the tank of the toilet. Most of the time you would never know there is a leak as the toilet could still work okay. A leaking toilet tank can waste up to 100 gallons of water in a single day! How can you check if your toilet is leaking? Our owner of Metric Plumbing, Gary suggests you put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color makes its way to the toilet overnight, your tank is leaking.

4. Cut Down on the Length of Your Shower

Did you know that by shortening your shower even just by two minutes can save up to 1,800 gallons of water per person in a single year. To take things even further in your quest to conserve water, we recommend turning off the water as you use brush your teeth or shave. As mentioned above the low flow shower head is a great option in helping you conserve the amount of water you’re using.

5. Use Your Dishwasher Rather Than Hand Washing

Did you know that hand washing your dishes uses much more water on average than simply running a load in the dishwasher. While hand washing your dishes uses an estimated 25 gallons of water, running a load of dishes in an Energy Star-rated dishwasher uses just three gallons.

6. Cover Your Pool

When pools are left uncovered, it gives the water in the pool a chance to evaporate. This causes you to have to fill it back up again more often! A great way to avoid this is by keeping your pool covered when it’s not in use, yes even in the summer! Another benefit of this is less mess in the pool.

If you would like one of our Plumbing Technicians to come out and assess your home or answer any questions you may have we are always here.

Metric Plumbing & Heating Inc.

320 Grove Ave, Cedar Grove NJ 07009

(973) 857-1535