Being mindful of saving water during the winter months seems a little counter-intuitive. Isn’t there plenty of water out there already? In fact, there are many ways that water can be wasted during the winter months, and by following some water-saving tips, you can help to prevent a water shortage during the spring and summer months.
Wintertime water-conservation is a little bit different than water-conservation during the rest of the year because the way that water is used during the winter months is different.
If you are unsure about how to save water during the winter months, here are some tips:
- Let your faucets drip. This one seems a little strange but, it is an important preventative measure. By letting your faucets drip when the weather gets below freezing, you can prevent a frozen pipe, which will eventually lead to a burst pipe. A lot more water is waste from a gushing pipe that from a faucet that is left to drip.
- Winterize your plumbing. In addition to letting faucets drip, it is a good idea to winterize your outdoor spigots with insulated wraps. This helps to prevent them from freezing and will prevent a burst pipe.
- Wrap your hot water heater. Your hot water heater is working overtime to keep the water inside of the tank hot. This causes more wear and tear and could lead to the tank bursting, which will cause a serious loss of water. Make sure to wrap your water heater with an insulated blanket to protect it from the freezing temperatures.
- Check for leaks. After the first thaw of the winter, check for leaks in cabinets and around the outside of the house. This is especially important because a small crack in a pipe might only cause a small leak but, the next time that pipe freezes, you will have a serious flood on your hands.
With the winter weather upon us, it is important to be in prevention mode and keep your plumbing system protected. Any winter weather plumbing malfunction will quickly lead to a serious loss of water and that could be very bad for your utility bills.