This is a guest post by Jim Klossner. If you want to guest post on this blog, see the guidelines here.
One way to go green and save some money is to save water usage in the kitchen. There are many changes you can make in your kitchen to help conserve water, reduce your carbon footprint and save some money. You can choose to do as much or as little as you like. Doing just one saves water.
Fixtures and faucets
15 percent of the water we use at home comes from our faucets. This includes both kitchen and bathroom faucets, but even if we divide this figure in half, it means that our kitchen faucet accounts for 7.5 percent of water use on the inside. That’s quite a bit of water for such a small thing. Because of this, it is critical that any leaks are fixed immediately. Allowing leaks to continue results in the loss of gallons of water. Even a very small leak can add up to a gallon of water lost.
To help reduce the flow rate on your current faucet replace the aerator on your faucet. This is a small and inexpensive piece that will determine the maximum flow rate of your faucet. You want to choose a more efficient aerator to help reduce water usage.
Refrigerator
If you are using an older model refrigerator, your water and energy usage is definitely higher than it needs to be. A general rule is that if the fridge is from the 90s, it should be replaced to help conserve the most water. Newer models that are Energy Star qualified will be the best that use the least water and energy. You can still enjoy stable temperatures, ice and water from the fridge while saving money on the water bill.
Freezer
Many people have deep freezers in addition to their fridge freezer. Like refrigerators, deep freezers from the 90s should be replaced as they are not the best at conserving water. Go for a newer model that is Energy Star qualified. It will still get the deep cold you need while saving water.
Dryers
If you have a dishwasher then you know that these kitchen appliances can be quite the water hogs, but if you have the right dishwasher you will use less water than you do the old one in the sink. If you are using an Energy Star model dishwasher, you will save an average of 5,000 gallons of water per year. On average, this type of dishwasher only uses about four gallons of water per cycle. In addition to looking for the Energy Star logo, be sure to look for one with a low water factor. This ensures that the dishwasher is as efficient as possible and uses as little water as possible.
Water saving tips for the kitchen
Skipping garbage disposal is actually a good thing, especially when you want to save water use. They are incredibly convenient, but can use more than 100 gallons of water each year. Instead, throw things away or start composting.
If you wash your dishes in the sink, there are a few ways to help reduce your water usage. First, do a load of dishes only when the sink is full. Reducing how many loads of dishes you do each day will reduce how much water you use. Second, don’t run the water when you’re scrubbing. As a general rule, unless you are actively using the water in the faucet, don’t wear it.
If you use a dishwasher, only run it when it is fully loaded. Like using the sink, reducing the amount of loads reduces how much water is used. You also want to scrape and not rinse the dishes before putting them away. Scrubbing takes no water and rinsing can use quite a few gallons.
Jim Klossner has been writing about energy efficient home solutions for John J Cahill, Inc for several years. When he’s not writing, you can find Jim tackling his own home remodeling projects.
