Go Green for Earth Day

April 22 is Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual reminder for everyone to stop and think about what we can do to conserve resources and protect the planet. You probably already recycle and try to cut down on how much gasoline you are using. There are lots of other small, simple things that you can do that add up to make a big difference. There’s an added bonus, too; most everything that you do to be a bit greener also saves you some green in the form of the dollars in your pocket. Check out these 10 ways that you can go green for Earth Day while saving a few bucks.

1. Go around the house and look for any faucets that are dripping or leaking. If you find any, fix them right away. You’ll save many gallons of water every month.

2. Use this simple test to find hidden leaks in your toilets. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait a few minutes, and then check the toilet bowl. If you see any color in the bowl, it means that the toilet is leaking. Get it fixed ASAP to cut down on wasted water.

3. Look for any cracks in the toilet tank or bowl. If you find any, the toilet should be replaced. You can recycle the individual parts of the old toilet.

4. Flush the toilet, and listen to whether it is running. If it is running, you can replace the parts in the tank quite inexpensively, and you’ll save a lot of water by doing so.

5. Clean your showerhead with vinegar. Just fill a plastic sandwich bag with vinegar and hold it around the showerhead with the showerhead immersed in the vinegar. Tie it in place with a rubber band. Leave it this way overnight, and remove it in the morning. This will remove any mineral deposits and other build up.

6. Consider adding a retrofit accessory to your showerhead to limit the maximum water pressure and make it function more efficiently.

7. Take a look at your water heater and see what temperature it is set on. It should never be higher than 120 degrees so that no one gets scalded by the hot water. A lower setting will also reduce the amount of energy that is used.

8. Check the age of your water heater. If you don’t know when it was installed, look at the serial number. The first four numbers of the serial number indicate the month and year that it was manufactured. You can expect the average water heater to last for about 11 years. If yours is older than that, consider upgrading to a new, energy efficient model. It requires a bit of an investment up front, but you’ll save throughout the year on energy costs.

9. Inspect the supply hoses to your dishwasher, ice maker, and clothes washer. Look for any bulges or cracks. If you see any bulges or leaks, or if the hoses are more than 10 years old, they should be replaced. New supply hoses will be more efficient.

10. Add aerators to all the faucets in your home. This will cut down on how much water is used every time you turn the water on.

These 10 easy tips will help you cut down on how much water and energy you are using each day. If you need some help, call Scott English Plumbing. We provide routine plumbing maintenance services as well as emergency repairs. Contact Scott English Plumbing for an appointment today.