tips – Home Efficiency Guide

There are practical steps that you can take to save money every single month on your water bill in an apartment or dorm and I want to share those with you. When my wife and I lived in an apartment, I was so frustrated by the high water bill that we would receive each month. I felt helpless. Now my daughter is going through that frustration with her college dorm. How many gallons of water do you use in your apartment or dorm daily? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Or Fifty? Whatever your answer is, I know you’d love to know how to reduce your water usage to be able to save some money. If you’re able to save just $20 every month on your water bill from January, you’ll have an extra $240 by December. It's worth a little effort! A high water bill is a common problem that many apartment dwellers have to deal with every month. But living in an apartment means that you can’t make any major modifications in your house such as replacing outdated, inefficient appliances. So what can you do? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your water bill and would love to know how to lower it, you’ve come to the right place. Here are several, simple adjustments that you can make that will result in significant savings in the long run. 9 Simple Tips To Reduce Your Apartment Water Bill Tip 1 - Take Showers Instead of Baths Yes, it's nice to relax in a hot tub but did you know that it takes significantly more water to fill a tub than to take a shower? Less water used means lower water bills. Make the adjustment! Tip 2 - Take Short Showers Consider reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower to save even more. Don't turn the shower on while you are undressing and getting ready. Turn it on and get in as soon as the water is warm enough. Tip 3 - Turn off The Water While You Shave / Wash Yes, we are still in the shower! But the truth is, you use a lot of water in here, so let's make sure we are budget-conscious. If you can get into the habit of turning the water on to get wet, then turning it off while you scrub your body and shave, you will save quite of bit of water usage over time. Bonus Tip - Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth? If so, there's another opportunity to save! Tip 4 - Don't Use The Toilet As A Waste Basket Throwing used facial tissue and other "flushable" items into the toilet results in more frequent flushing and more water usage. If it doesn't need to go in the toilet, toss it in the waste basket. Bonus tip - You can reduce the amount of water your toilet requires to fill up by putting a bottle of pebbles in the tank. This lowers the total size of the area that needs to fill up in order for the tank's water flow to stop, saving water usage. Make sure the tank flushes properly but, as long as it does, that might just save you a little and every little bit matters! Tip 5 - Only Run The Dishwasher When You Have A Full Load While the OCD in you may compel you to run the dishwasher every time you have a dirty dish, you can save a significant amount of water usage by resisting that temptation. Essentially a dishwasher is going to use the same amount of water whether the load is light or full. Make the most use of the water used by running full loads. Bonus Tip - You can also save on your electricity bill by running that load of dishes at night when you go to bed. Many electrical companies offer lower rates during "off-peak" hours. Take advantage of this as a bonus savings opportunity. Tip 6 - Don't "Pre-Wash" Dishes I struggled with this one. I grew up in a household where we were required to rinse and hand wash our dishes before we put them into the dishwasher. Looking back, I can't imagine the rationale behind this. Maybe our dishwasher was very ineffective at cleaning or perhaps it was just a routine that preceded electric dishwashers. In any case, modern dishwashers are very effective at cleaning. You can save some water by skipping the whole pre-wash routine. That is unless you have a casserole dish or something that really has some baked-on food that needs a little elbow grease. Bonus Tip - If you do have a dish that needs that extra hands-on cleaning attention, briefly run water over it and then turn it off and get to scrubbing. Don't leave the water running the whole time. Tip 7 - Install Low-Flow Shower Head and Faucet Aerators What I really like about these is that they are inexpensive, pay for themselves in water bill savings, and can easily be removed and taken with you when you move. This low-flow showerhead uses only 1.25 gallons per minute but still provides strong pressure. It is estimated that it will save you up the 30% on your water usage in the shower. Then you have these low-flow faucet aerators that reduce the amount of water used in your kitchen and bath faucets. With a 1 gallon per minute spray, you can save money without feeling like it's a chore. Tip 8 - Drip, Drip, Cost, Cost! If your toilet is always running, if your sink is steadily dripping, then you have an opportunity to begin saving money every month by simply repairing it. Most faucet trips and running toilets can be repaired as a DIY project quickly and inexpensively. Once it is fixed, mark that up as a little extra saving on your water bill. Tip 9 - Wash Laundry in "Quick Wash Mode" Remember how I mentioned being so frustrated with the high water bill when my wife and I lived in an apartment? It turned out that we were using the highest energy usage setting on our washing machine. There was a "Quick Wash" mode (it may have been called something different) and once we switched to that we saw almost immediate savings on our water bill. Check your washing machine for a washing option that allows for a shorter wash time. This made a difference for us. It may for you as well. Conclusion Each of the tips can save you a little each month. Add them together and you have a simple, workable strategy to save significant money on your apartment or dorm water bill. With a little diligence, those savings can really add up over time! Don't Just Focus On Water When It Comes To Energy Savings! There are a lot of ways that you can save money on your monthly energy costs. While the water bill in your apartment or dorm may be your focus right now, a dollar is a dollar regardless of which bill it goes to. Take the time learn how you can save money on energy costs by cutting your monthly electric bill as well. The more you save, the more you get to keep!