It might seem like a strange thing to do, but water-conservation during the cold weather months is an important thing to do. During the fall the weather is cool and damp, so it would seem like there is plenty of water and unnecessary to save water. However, there are many things that you can do to save water during the fall season. Most of the cool weather water-saving tips have to do with preventing freezing pipes. When your pipes freeze, it causes an expansion of the pipe from the inside out and will eventually lead to the pipe cracking or bursting.
Here are some water-saving steps that you can take this fall:
- Your water heater is essentially a large metal can that is heating the water it is filled with from the inside out. When the outdoor environment is cold, it takes more energy for the water heater to keep the water inside of it hot. For this reason, it is important to keep your water heater insulated during the cold weather. This saves water by reducing the length of time that you are likely to let your water run before you get hot water coming out of the faucet.
- This is the time of year when you should go around the outside of your home to disconnect your garden hoses and insulate the hose bibs. Garden hoses are not built to withstand cold weather, which means that when the weather starts to cool off, any water that is inside of the hose can easily freeze. This frozen mass of water will lead to pressure building up inside of the pipe that the hose is connected to.
- Before you and your family start moving inside for family time, take a few minutes to walk the perimeter of your house and check your outdoor plumbing for any leaks or damage. Leaving these breakdowns left unrepaired through the fall season could result in serious failures of your plumbing system.
The fall is a transition type of season where the weather moves from one extreme to another. This is the perfect time of year to adjust your water usage and prevent weather damage to your plumbing system.
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