Top Water-Saving Plumbing Tips for Portland Homeowners

As environmental consciousness grows, more Portland, ME homeowners are looking for ways to reduce water consumption and utility costs. Even making small adjustments to your plumbing fixtures and daily habits can lead to significant water savings over time.

At Woodville Plumbing and Heating, we're committed to providing eco-friendly plumbing solutions and water-saving tips to our Portland community. Follow these suggestions to lower your home's water footprint:

Install Low-Flow Fixtures Outdated plumbing fixtures can be hugely inefficient when it comes to water usage. Replacing old showerheads, faucets, and toilets with new low-flow models that carry the EPA's WaterSense label is an easy way to conserve. Look for showerheads with a maximum 2.0 GPM flow rate and toilets using 1.28 GPF or less per flush.

Fix Leaks Promptly Even a small plumbing leak can waste hundreds of gallons over time, driving up your water bills. Regularly inspect under sinks, around toilets, and in basements for any dampness indicating a leak. Contact a Portland plumber to quickly repair any leaks found to stop the water waste.

Use Aerators on Faucets Adding inexpensive faucet aerators to bathroom and kitchen sinks creates a steady stream while dramatically reducing overall water flow. Aerators can cut sink water usage in half while maintaining sufficient water pressure.

Time Showers Simply being mindful of shortening your shower time even by just a minute or two can add up to big household water savings. Install a water-efficient showerhead and time yourself or use a shower timer to keep showers brief.

Only Run Full Loads Never run clothes washers or dishwashers until you have full loads ready. This prevents wasting gallons of water on lightly soiled loads. Upgrade to new ENERGY STAR appliances for even greater efficiency.

Sweep, Don't Hose Rather than hosing down driveways, sidewalks, and patios, use a broom to clean off debris. Outdoor hose usage for cleaning can easily waste hundreds of gallons in just minutes.

Collect Rainwater Collect rainwater runoff from roof surfaces in rain barrels to use for outdoor gardening, lawns, and washing cars or windows. This harvested rain puts free water to use productively.

Check Utility Usage Periodically review your monthly Portland Water District usage data and billing amounts. If you notice any sudden spikes, it may indicate an undetected leak that needs repair.

Upgrade to a Tankless Water Heater Tank-style water heaters constantly heat and re-heat stored reserves of water, wasting energy. New eco-friendly tankless units heat water on demand, lowering both water and energy usage.

Let Woodville Plumbing and Heating make your Portland home more water-efficient! We offer professional installation and great discounts on low-flow plumbing fixtures as well as money-saving tankless water heaters. Follow our water-saving tips Portland ME homeowners can easily implement to lower utility bills and environmental impact. Call 207-756-9725 today!