Oct 27, 2016

Shower Yourself with Savings

showerheads, water conservation, WaterSense, WaterSense Products 1 Comment

by Tom Damm

A “Navy shower” is quite efficient. Get wet, turn off the water, lather up, rinse off and get out. All done in a few minutes.

My first experience with such a shower was in a trailer near New Orleans during EPA’s response to Hurricane Katrina. I learned how to get clean in a hurry when the scarce hot water available in our compound ran out by the time I showered each morning.

I’ve since taken more comfortable, but similarly speedy showers at home. It makes sense since EPA estimates that shortening your shower by even one minute can save 550 gallons of water per year.

Showering is one of the leading ways we use water in the home, accounting for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use.

The City of Charlottesville, Virginia – a two-time EPA WaterSense national award winner for its water saving promotions – challenges its residents to take a five-minute shower, offering a free timer and suggesting they create a five-minute playlist and use a 2-in-1 shampoo-conditioner combination.

But one of the main suggestions from EPA and Charlottesville to save water, energy and money is to replace your old showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model. Charlottesville offers them at no cost to its residents.

In just one year, a WaterSense showerhead can save the average family nearly 3,000 gallons of water and save enough electricity to power their home for 13 days. That’s a savings of more than $70 in energy and water costs.

October has been designated Shower Better Month by EPA’s WaterSense program. Here’s a link for more ways to save water throughout your home – and to avoid that knock on the door to speed it up in the shower.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division.

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Mar 17, 2016

Be a Leak Detective for Fix a Leak Week

leaky faucets, WaterSense, WaterSense Products, What you can do 6 Comments

by Kimberly Scharl

Did you know that easy-to-fix water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in US homes? And every year, the average household leaks more than enough water to fill a school bus. These leaks not only waste a precious resource, but they could also be costing you an extra 10% on your water bill each month.

Good news! Fixing these leaks can be easy and inexpensive. EPA’s WaterSense program encourages everyone to be a leak detective and “chase down” plumbing leaks during the 8th annual Fix a Leak Week. Start by gathering clues that will help you detect leaks in your home:

Check your utility bill – Look at your bill from January or February. If a family of four exceeds water use of 12,000 gallons during a winter month, it’s likely there is a leak. You can also examine your water bill for unexplained spikes from month to month.
Read your water meter – Find your water meter and remove the lid. Take a reading during a period no water is being used, then take another reading in 2 hours. If the second reading is not the same as the first, you probably have a leak.
Take a toilet test – Put a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and let it sit for 10 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak that can probably be repaired with a new toilet flapper. Make sure to flush after the test to avoid staining.

A good leak detective knows that leaks can be hiding in other places, too. Here are a few places you might want to investigate:

In the bathtub – Turn on the tub and divert the water to the showerhead. If there is still a lot of water coming from the tub, your tub spout diverter may need to be replaced.
Under the sink – Check for pooling water under pipes and rust around joints.
Around the water heater – Check beneath the tank for pooling water, rust, or other signs of leakage.
At the hose outside – If there are stray sprays, check the hose connection to the spigot, or try replacing the hose washer.

When replacing fixtures, remember to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled products are independently certified to use at least 20 percent less water and perform as well or better than standard models.

Celebrate Fix a Leak Week by chasing down leaks in your own home. Leak detectives can tweet out the news of leak repairs using #Ifixleaks.

About the Author: Kimberly Scharl joined EPA in 2010, after moving to the mid-Atlantic region from Mississippi. She is a financial analyst and project officer in the Office of Infrastructure and Assistance, and is the regional liaison for the WaterSense Program. Kim enjoys bowling and spending time with her family.

Feb 14, 2013

Are We Planet-Friendly?

Design for the Environment, energy star, pests, planting trees, recycle, recycled materilas, Valentine's Day, WaterSense Products 3 Comments

By Lina Younes

During the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, everywhere we look we find messages and merchandise

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urging us to share our love with family, friends, significant others and even with our pets. But, on this special day and other days of the year, are we truly showing our appreciation to the Planet? Are we making sure that we don’t litter and that we conserve Mother Earth’s precious natural resources?

How about some simple things that we can do at home, at work, or in our community to protect our earthly home? Here are some suggestions:

Are you planning to buy a Valentine’s Day card today? Make sure it was made with recycled materials or even save more resources by sending an electronic card instead!
Reduce wastes and recycle the 365 days of the year.
We can’t live without water so don’t waste it! Close the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth. Take shorter showers instead of baths. Use WaterSense products to use water more efficiently.
Save energy in the home by using a programmable thermostat. Use EnergyStar appliances. These energy-efficient appliances save you energy and money and protect the Planet, too.
Combine your daily errands to save gas. Give your car a break and take public transportation.
In the spring, how about planting a tree? Planting trees will improve air quality and give you shade in the summer months.
Want to avoid problems with pests at home? Don’t give them anything to eat, drink, or shelter. These integrated pest management techniques will go a long way to create a healthier home environment for you and your family.
We’ve all heard the expression “cleanliness is next to godliness.” A clean home is essential for good health. So why don’t we use the greenest chemicals that are safer for us AND the Planet? Check out those with the Design for the Environment label. They perform well, they are cost-effective, and safer for the environment, too.
Do you want more additional Planet-Friendly tips to show your appreciation of Mother Earth? Visit our website .

Would you like to send us your green tips? We look forward to your comments on this blog or through our social media pages at Facebook and Twitter. Looking forward to hearing from you.

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and currently serves the Multilingual Outreach and Communications Liaison for EPA. She manages EPA’s social media efforts in Spanish. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several government agencies.