In a household of four people, faucet water accounts for about 18% of the total household water consumption. The average household uses between 6,600 and 9,750 gallons of water annually. That is a staggering amount! So, it’s important to make sure the faucets and drains in your home are in excellent condition.

 

Bad faucets that are old and leaky will only increase the gallon output per year, and in the process, can seriously damage the pipes in your home. Likewise, damaged or clogged drains will cause your system to operate inefficiently, particularly in the main line and septic areas.

 

Below is an overview of how much water you are using in the two rooms you use it the most: the bathroom and kitchen. This should be a wake-up call for how much water your family is pouring and flushing down the drains.

The Kitchen

Surprisingly, your kitchen only takes up 2% to 10% of the entire water consumption in your home. Kitchen activities that involve water include:

 

●        The dishwasher

●        Cooking & boiling

●        Cleaning

●        Food preparation

●        Washing dishes in the sink

●        Refrigerator ice maker/water dispenser

 

Just over 3,000 gallons of water pour down the kitchen drains in the average U.S. household annually. That includes the refrigerator drain, sink drain, and dishwasher drain.

The Bathroom

Brace yourself. The bathroom takes up 80% to 90% of the entire water consumption in your home. Bathroom activities that involve water include:

 

●        Showers

●        Flushing toilets

●        Baths

●        Brushing teeth

●        Cleaning

●        Cosmetic use

 

Just over 23,000 gallons of water pour down the bathroom drains in the average U.S. household annually. That includes the shower, tub, sink, and toilet.

Honorable Mention: The Laundry Room

It may surprise you (or not) how much water exits a washing machine and flushes down the utility room drain. The laundry room takes up 15% to 20% of the entire water consumption in your home. Laundry activities that involve water include:

 

●        Clothes washing by machine

●        Clothes washing by hand

●        Cleaning

 

Just over 7900 gallons of water pour down the laundry room drain in the average U.S. household annually. That includes the washing machine and the utility sink.

Water Conservation Facts and Tips

Bathroom

● A standard shower supplies up to 20 liters every minute. Efficient showerheads use 9 L per minute or less. Tip: install a low flow shower rose and take shorter showers.

● To be water efficient, we recommend a 4-minute shower for each member of your household.

● If you’re running a bath, keep it shallow and you can save up to 75 - 150 liters each time.

● Use a cistern weight if you have a single-flush toilet.

● A leaking toilet can waste up to 10L of water per day (barely visible) to 260L per day for leaks large enough to be visible and/or have an audible refilling hiss.

● Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth, and install tap aerators, and you reduce this by over 50%.

● A dripping tap can waste up to 3L in an hour—that's over 500L in a week.

Kitchen

● By using a 4-5 star WELS rated dishwasher, you could save 19 Liters of water per cycle.

● Tap aerators can reduce the amount of water used during the rinsing of dishes by up to 50%.

Laundry

● Update to a 4-5 star WELS rated top loader and save!

Professional Drain Cleaning Technicians in Minneapolis

If you need your drains cleaned, then contact Drain Blaster Bill. We offer comprehensive drain cleaning service for both residential and commercial properties in Minneapolis, MN.

 

To schedule a plumbing inspection or drain cleaning, call us at 763-913-8719.