Right after increasing energy efficiency, the easiest (and cheapest) way to green your home and increase your property value at the same time is to cut your water consumption. The average US resident uses about 150 gallons of water per day, and the average American household’s water bill each month can run from $35 to over $100 [source: LeakBird.com]. Fortunately, with the aid of a few simple, low cost fixes, you can cut that water bill anywhere from 25-75%. Showing a potential buyer that you have already taken the steps to make your property as water efficient as possible without compromising on luxury can appeal to both their hearts and their pocketbooks.
The first thing to look for when trying to increase your water efficiency is outright waste. Take a walk around your house and inspect all of your faucets and showerheads. Are any of them leaking? Even the tiniest leak from a simple faucet can add up to 5 gallons of water a day and hundreds of wasted dollars over the lifetime of your property. Why throw that money away when all it takes to fix is two minutes with a wrench? If you notice any leaks that can’t be fixed by tightening the faucet, call in a plumber. It might cost you a few dollars now, but you will more than make up for it in the long run.
Once you’re sure there are no leaks, check to see if all of your faucets have aerators installed and that all of your showerheads use low flow technology. Serious improvements in water flow technology over the past few years have led to a whole new line of low flow devices that perform as well if not better than their high flow counterparts. For just a few cents for aerators and less than $20 for showerheads, you can cut your shower and faucet water usage by as much as 40% [water-conservation].
Next, walk around your property and check on all of your toilets. Are any of them running? If not, give them a flush and see how long before they stop running. If it takes your toilet longer than fifteen seconds to shut off, you are literally flushing money (and water) down the toilet. In most cases, all it takes to fix this problem and cut your water bill drastically is some fussing with the mechanics in the tank. Check out this great wikihow article for a simple step-by-step guide.
Finally, as long as were talking toilets, lets remember that in the average American home, toilets account for almost 30% of all water usage [source: EPA]. The best way to regulate the amount of water your toilet uses is to get a dual flush toilet. A dual flush toilet is exactly what it sounds like – the toilet has two flush settings to choose from depending on what you used it for. For a family of four, dual flush toilets can save as much as 4 gallons of water per flush and up to $90 a year [source: hubpages]. You can purchase a dual flush toilet conversion kit at your local hardware store for less that $30.
Check back in next month for tips on how to green your landscaping.
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