Replace old toilets
Toilets are the largest indoor water users, which means replacing an old, inefficient toilet with a new model can pay for itself in a few years. Toilets installed in 1994 and earlier use 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush. Toilets sold today use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush.
Replace old showerheads
An old showerhead uses three to eight gallons of water per minute, while a new model uses as little as 1.5 gallons per minute. To replace a showerhead, unscrew the old showerhead (you may have to use wide-grip pliers with protective masking tape around the showerhead base) and screw on the new one. Wrap a bit of Teflon tape around the threads before screwing on the new showerhead.
The upside to replacing your washing machine
An old clothes washer can use 40 to 50 gallons per load. A new front-loading or horizontal axis machine uses as little as 10 gallons per load. Its high-speed spin cycle forces more water out of clothes, which means clothes need less time in the dryer. And because a front-loader machine doesn’t have an agitator, it’s gentler on your clothes.
Install aerators on faucets/showerheads
Aerators mix air with water to reduce the flow of water coming from the faucet. They’re inexpensive, available at most hardware stores and easy to install. For a faucet with an inside thread, unscrew the old faucet attachment and screw on the aerator. For outside threaded faucets, remove the top washer from the aerator to expose the inside threads. Then screw on the aerator.
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