Its summer time and it’s a hot one! When the temperature goes up so does our water usages which is hard on both water conservation and our bills. Luckily, there are some simple ways of saving water and money this summer for everyone’s benefit!

One of the easiest things that you can do to help save water is to check your home for leaks. Up to 10% of homes have leaks that waste up to 90 gallons of water a day!

There are a few things that you can do that can help prevent leaks or catch them early:

• Tree roots can damage your pipes cause moisture to leak out into your yard. Keep an eye on new tree growth, wet patches and sinkholes.
• Drop food coloring in the toilet tank, leave for 10 minutes, if you see any of that color in your bowl it means you have a leak.
• Leaving a garden hose on even for a small amount of time can result in water being wasted over time – make sure you unhook after summer usage.
• Check your irrigation systems because they can cause leaking underground, be mindful of pooling or sod that is mushy.
• Check your pipes, it is as simple as listening for drips from showerheads or faucets and if your toilet is running.

You can help save water by upgrading your yard. Making your yard “water-wise” helps both you and the environment, saving you both water and money.

Here are some was that you can upgrade your yard:

• The addition of mulch around plants and trees will help retain moisture – requiring less watering.
• Do away with turf that requires a large amount of water and switch to a more natural native plant yard.
• Use drip systems for older trees, plants, and flowers.
• Invest in a smart controller that will adjust watering automatically based on the weather.
• Use Native plants, they require less maintenance and water.

Knowing the best time to water your lawns, flowers, and plants and adjusting your watering to make the out of the water you use can really help too. We use 2 to 4 times as much water when the water is warmer as oppose to a cooler time of year.

These tips can help you save when the weather heats up:

• If the forecast calls for rain, make sure to turn off your sprinkler system before it starts.
• Water for no more than 15 minutes per station per day.
• Avoid watering more than 3 times a week.
• To limit evaporation, only water in the early morning or evening.

We hope that you find these suggestions helpful and if you have questions about these tip or any other plumbing related question, please call JJ Kokesh and Sons at 636-391-1233.