Whether you live in a drought prone area or are simply environmentally conscious, we know at DFW Properties that saving water is important, and you can do so both inside and outside your home.
The non-profit GRACE Communications Foundation (GRACE) developed a free Water Footprint Calculator, so consumers can see how their everyday actions – from washing dishes to watering the lawn to buying groceries – impact water use.
Here are some great ways GRACE says homeowners can conserve water inside their homes:
- Get a dishwasher, especially water- and energy-efficient models. Hand washing one load of dishes can use 20 gallons of water, whereas water- and energy-efficient dishwashers use as little as 4.5 gallons.
- When doing dishes by hand, use a little water to get your sponge soapy, then turn off the faucet until you’re ready to rinse a bunch of dishes at once. Or plug the sink or get a tub to wash dishes in so you don’t need to let water run.
- Use dish and clothes washing machines only when it’s full.
- Choose ENERGY STAR water- and energy-efficient dish- and clothes-washing appliances if you’re in the market.
- Wash denim clothes and jeans less – washing them a lot will wear them out more quickly. Consider airing them out or even putting them in the freezer to freshen them up.
- Dry clothes on a drying rack or a clothes line. When you save energy, you also save water because power plants use a lot of water to produce electricity.
- Put a bucket in the shower while you’re waiting for the water to warm up, and use that water for plants, flushing the toilet, or cleaning.
- Install a low-flow showerhead — conventional showerheads flow at 5 gallons per minute or more, whereas low-flow showerheads typically flow at 2.5 gallons per minute (or less).
- Spend less time in the shower, and turn off the water as you soap up, shave or brush your teeth to save time.
- Avoid baths. The average bath uses 35 to 50 gallons of water, whereas a 10-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead only uses 25 gallons.
- EPA New England further advises immediately repairing leaky faucets, indoors and out.
DFW Property Management.com manages properties in the entire Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex. We offer three property management packages: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Please click on the links to read more about each one, or check out our comparison page. Give us a call at 682-200-6700 if you have any questions.
