When the weather is hot, people tend to use more water in their households. Grass and plants need to be watered more during dry heatwaves, so sprinkler systems get more use during the hottest months of the year. People tend to drink more water when it is hot as well, which also contributes to household water usage. Parents who have school-aged children may also find that their water usage increases during the summertime when their children are out of school and are instead home all day long and using more water. Water conservation is a thought on everyone’s mind during hot months. Tips to save water in hot weather can be beneficial to the planet and your wallet.
Overusing water during a heatwave has multiple different consequences. First of all, using too much water when the weather is hot can contribute to drought in your area—and drought is already a common consequence of hot, dry weather. The environmental impact of high household water usage is negative overall. Plus, using more water during the warmer months of the year can lead to significant increases in your regular water bills.
Fortunately, there are ways to use less water—even when the weather is hot. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint and decrease your water bills, keep reading to learn five top tips for saving water in hot weather.
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Water Plants in the Morning
When the weather is hot, do not water your lawn or outdoor plants in the middle of the day. When the sun is high in the sky and beating down on your yard, the water that you use to water your lawn and plants evaporates more quickly—which means you have to use more water to make sure your plants are watered sufficiently.
Instead of watering your plants in the middle of the day, set your sprinkler or drip system on a timer to turn on very early in the morning or very late at night when the water does not evaporate as quickly and less water needs to be used. If you do not have a sprinkler or drip system and water your plants by hand, get your watering done early in the morning as soon as you wake up rather than waiting until later in the day when it is hotter outside.
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Get Leaks Repaired
Our second of the five tips to save water has to do with repairs. Leaks—even very minor leaks—waste an enormous amount of water. If you have any water leaks inside or outside your home—whether the leak is a dripping faucet or a malfunctioning sprinkler head—get those leaks repaired as quickly as possible.
leak repair will help to save water
Water leaks wastewater no matter what the weather is like outside, but getting any leaks inside or outside your home repaired before a heatwave hits can help you use less water in hot weather.
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Install Efficient Toilets and Showerheads
Efficient toilets and showerheads require an initial investment, but that investment pays off in the long run by significantly lowering your water bills. Efficient toilets use between one and two gallons of water with each flush, whereas older inefficient toilets can use up to seven gallons of water per flush. That means you can save up to five or six gallons of water every time you flush your toilet if you invest in an efficient toilet.
Similarly, efficient showerheads can reduce the amount of water you use every time you shower by up to 60%—which can save you a significant amount of money on your monthly water bills and reduces water waste in your household.
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Take Shorter Showers
Another of our tips to save water is by spending less time in the shower. No matter what time of the year it is, shortening the length of your showers is one of the best ways to save water in your household. The average shower in North America uses five gallons of water per minute. This means that cutting your shower by just five minutes—for example, from fifteen minutes to ten minutes—can save up to 25 gallons of water.
If you don’t think you can shorten your showers at all, turning off the shower when you are not actively using the water—such as when you are scrubbing your body or shaving—is a great way to save water while you shower without taking shorter showers.
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Rethink Your Landscaping
This tip requires some forethought, but you might want to rethink the landscaping around your house if you are staring down a heatwave—and especially if you live in an area where the weather is warm and dry very frequently.
The grass is one of the least drought-friendly plant species, yet lawns are some of the most popular landscaping features throughout North America. If you have a lawn, consider replacing your grass with drought-friendly ground cover that does not require as much water instead.
Also, plant native instead of exotic plant species when possible—plants that are native to the area where you live are able to adapt to hot weather more easily without requiring extra water or care. Drought-friendly plants such as succulents and cacti are other excellent options for landscaping your yard to save water when the weather gets hot.
