Summer Water Use Tips That Save You Money!

!±8± Summer Water Use Tips That Save You Money!

Unless you live in the permanently arid Southwest, summer usually means more water use and higher water and sewer bills. Even if you draw water from a well, the increased water use also means higher electric bills and more wear on the pump. But for many, this summer, the concern isn't just about higher bills. With parts of the country suffering from prolonged dry spells and drought, many communities have implemented water use restrictions and water conservation has become a summertime necessity. The good news is that a few small changes to your daily routine and a couple of quick fixes around the house can save you both water and money -- this summer, and year 'round!

In the house
Turn that faucet off. While you brush your teeth, that is, and save about 2 gallons a minute. Do that every time you brush and save an extra 240 gallons a month. Turn the faucet off while you shave and save even more. Use the shower; skip the tub. You'd think it would be the other way around, right? But, a five-minute shower typically uses only 10-25 gallons of water while a full tub uses about 70 gallons. To keep shower time to a minimum, don't run the shower while you shave. If you like your leisurely soaks, stopper the drain right away and adjust the temperature as you fill up. Wash a full load of clothes. With the average washer using about 41 gallons a load, the more loads you do, and the more water you use. To cut down on water use, wait until you have a full load. Fix that leaky toilet. You know the sound: the sudden hissing of water as the tank fills itself back up, but you didn't just flush. Or, you might notice a regular damp spot on the floor below the tank. A leaking toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water a day! Fix leaky faucets and showerheads. A little drip might not seem like much, but a faucet dripping at the rate of 1 drop per second wastes about 2,700 gallons a year.
In the yard

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a typical single-family household uses about 30 percent of its water outside, on lawns, landscaping and gardens. As much as 50 percent of that water is wasted through evaporation or runoff. To avoid this kind of waste and lower your water bill use the following tips.
Outdoor faucets leaking? Those little drips can be costly, too. Water early or late in the day, while the sun is low and the air is cooler, so less water is wasted through evaporation (be aware, your community may have watering restrictions in effect, and observe those). If you hand water, aim at the base of the plant, where the roots are; you don't have to water the entire plant. Set sprinklers (preferably the droplet and not the mist-type) so they water only your vegetation and not your driveway, sidewalk or street. Time your sprinkler use so you don't overwater (overwatering can be as harmful to your landscape as not watering enough). Simple timers are available for under that hook right up to your faucet.
What else you can do

These steps involve a little more effort and/or money but have a timely payback and offer long-term savings through consistently lower water bills.
Think about a new toilet. Toilets made before 1992 use anywhere from 3.5-7 gallons per flush. Newer models use, on average, less than 2 gallons per flush. High-efficiency toilets use about 1.3 gallons per flush resulting in a 10-year cost savings of about ,000 for a family of four - without compromising performance. But, if you're worried about the "flush factor" (will it all go down?), consider a dual-flush toilet that uses less water for liquid waste removal, and more water for solid waste removal. Consider an automatic irrigation system. If you're spending a great deal of time hand-watering, or moving your sprinkler from place to place, an automatic irrigation system is an excellent investment. Of course, a system that waters even if it's raining won't save you much, but PC programmable and self-adjusting systems are available now that offer a drop in water use of 8-60 percent (depending on how arid your particular climate is) and can pay for themselves in as little as 8 months to a couple of years (again, depending on climate). Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation. If an irrigation system is out of the question for your entire yard, consider using a soaker hose or drip irrigation around your landscaping and garden. A soaker hose emits water gently along its entire length directly to the base of the plant and little is lost through runoff or evaporation (you can even make your own soaker from a length of old garden hose). Drip-irrigation systems accomplish the same thing, with drip holes called emitters spaced at intervals along the hose. Drip systems will cost a bit more. With either of these methods, you'll find you'll have to water less often and use less water when you do. Attach a simple hose timer and you can save even more.

Sources: U.S. EPA, Popular Mechanics, Natural Remodeling (2006, Lark Books).

Summer Water Use Tips That Save You Money!

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Conserve water in your garden this summer

!±8± Conserve water in your garden this summer

Many water districts has been estimated that homeowners over 50% of its water for irrigation in the summer landscape. In a context of global warming and drought do not you feel a little 'guilty? It's time to end our long love affair with the needy lush, thirsty plants. We all had a good time and have fond memories of those days spent in the hot August sun to go around with the tube, all dependent on each other! Shipyards, saving the water with native or drought resistant plants are now allAnger.

My Life Coach to CoachBetty.com friend always says. "It 'time to change perspective, we think of the BOX!" It is time for our turn "backyard" mindset and "think outside of the lawn." Planting huge lawns and thirsty ornamental plants is like driving a gas guzzler, and wearing a pink top. And 'so 80s! Natives growing and drought-tolerant ground cover is like driving a hybrid phone and SMS on your chocolate covered strawberries.
OMG! DYGI? (Oh my God! Do you understand?)

GrowthThe locals will give you a beautiful landscape maintenance, reducing the water bill. It is probably too hot to effectively ensure the transformation in the garden this month, but start planning a plan to rip and cliffs in autumn. In the fall you want to be high maintenance plants that are not easily cut to remove them.

Questions to ask:

There is a lot of demand in the water?

And 'needy and cranky in the heat of summer?

(If yes, ask yourself why you moveda whiner.)

Has grown lush and make you look like a horticultural magician?

Otherwise, it's time to throw in just a few plants to the compost pile.

Before digging in new plants, work a good amount of organic matter (compost) in soil and plant cover on the soil with mulch. Amended soil retain more water than land devoid of organic matter. Land is changed by means of micro-and macro-organisms that secrete nutrients and aerate your soil settled, so thatThe water to the roots.

Last month I attended an informational class Suburban Habitat in Novato, California. led by Ryan Griss, our Coordinator of water conservation and landscape architect Matt Buchholz. I asked: "How can a star making his spectacular appearance in the dirt courtyard hot summer sun with the least amount of mental and physical labor?" The answer is twofold: a diverse selection of native plants and a reliable, efficient control of the system timer to drop.

Buchholz recommendsCeanothus (California lilac) and Archtostaphylos (Manzanita), two simple native shrubs. "Both are evergreen, but they require little water. In addition, both plants can be found on earth in a variety of forms covers all the way to the tree-like bushes of large size. Ceanothus offers a magnificent violet blue flowers in late spring or early summer to be enjoyed by bees and butterflies. Archtostaphylos is known for its twisted, smooth, orange-colored mahogany trunk and branches, a real admired CaliforniaClassic. "

Buchholz well, but I understand the beauty of Ceanothus Manzanita me to sleep. How you would like something with the color for us type A gardener, which bloom stalks our yards and plants as flamboyant rock star?

I heard that he looked up, but we are on the phone, so I can not say for sure. Some perennials, he suggests, are Erigeron Glaucus' Cape Sebastian, which is "a substitute for the ubiquitous native of Santa Barbara daisies, and many varieties of native or Sage SageSalvia as Cleveland, and 'Bee Bliss' Salvia. Other local color to consider water as Mimulus (Monkey Flower) variety, and Iris Fremontodendron douglasiana (Flannel Bush), which requires almost none, and has a nice shape, fig leaves and large yellow flowers. And to beat all year long blue-gray foliage color, sets plant Festuca idahoensis.

Replace your lawn with a low-growing ground cover that can cut less water and maintenance requirementsis the way of the future. If your lawn has walked, you can try this instead of ground cover: Prunella Incisa, chamomile, thyme, Lippia, Scotch moss and iris.

For more information, original layout with photos get a copy of the California Native Plants for the Garden of Cachuma Press published In the meantime, remember that the local staff kindergarten that "green is the new pink!" It's time to order a wide selection of native plants.

Griss has some recommendations forSaving water this summer:

This is to avoid going to faint when you see your summer water bill. . .

1.Reduce the terms of the irrigation system through a reduction in minutes per cycle. (Reduction adjusted execution time of 2 minutes to every 10 minutes.)

2 Replace grass with low water consumption was home, once established, can be adapted to grow in our climate without irrigation in summer.

3.Install drip irrigation with 1 / 2 liter and strong emittersMulch.

4.Irrigate between midnight and 6 am to reduce water loss through evaporation and wind.

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Conserve water in your garden this summer

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