Plumbing Water-Wasters: Dishes and Running Water Issues

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on the various ways you might be wasting water within your home’s plumbing system. Improper use of certain areas, or problems that have built up over time on various plumbing fixtures or appliances, can often lead to situations where you’re wasting significant quantities of water each year, a risk that not only raises your monthly water bill, but also increases your environmental footprint in ways no one wants.

At My Buddy the Plumber, we’re here to help you both conserve water and remain completely comfortable with every area of your home’s plumbing system, with 24-hour plumbing services that range from emergency plumbing needs down to areas like water heater replacement and various areas of repair. Here are some of the other top culprits that we often find are wasting water in our clients’ homes, plus some general tips on remedying these concerns.

Dish Concerns

Another of the top areas where you might be wasting water in your home: While washing dishes. The first common mistake we see here is clients who run their dishwasher when it’s only half full, or sometimes even less so – this is just a simple waste of water, as you’ll need to run it again sooner than normal when more dishes pile up. Always fill the dishwasher fully before running a cycle.

Another mistake here is using running water while washing dishes by hand. Running water uses up quite a bit of your supply – instead, you should fill the sink with soap and water and let dishes soak, then wash them off without running water. Generally, though, the dishwasher is the more economical approach here – as long as you’re filling it completely.

Lawn and Landscape Watering

During the spring and summer period, while watering the lawn is important, you shouldn’t overdo things here. In particular, shoot for watering in the early morning between 4am and 8am, as the air is cooler and water won’t evaporate as quickly. And during the early and late parts of the year when it’s cooler outside, you only need to water once or twice a week at most.

Older Toilet

If your toilet is more than 15 or 20 years old, it could be using way more water than modern models for the same flush needs. Many older toilets use up to two full gallons of water more per flush than a low-flush or high-efficiency toilet made today. Talk to our team about your options for toilet replacement if you have an older model.

Running Water Issues

Just in general, look to minimize situations where your water is running. There’s no need to run water constantly while brushing your teeth, for instance, or for several other mindless areas where you might be in the habit of doing so. Getting out of this habit is a good way to save water.

For more on how to limit your water usage in the home plumbing system, or to learn about any of our plumbing services, speak to the staff at My Buddy the Plumber today.