Doing your part to conserve water is important to the overall well-being of your community and it helps protect the earth. You may already be taking steps inside of your home to save water such as taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth, and insulating your water pipes. Our water consumption increases in summer, as we tend to our gardens and yards, so it's important to know what you can do to save water. Saving water will not only help save limited resources but will also help with your water bill. Whatever you are doing inside of your home, whether it's growing vegetables or beautiful flower beds, try replicating your water conservation efforts on the outside of your home by using our tips below.
Save Water by Using a Screwdriver to Test Your Soil for Moisture
Before watering your lawn or flowerbeds, grab a basic screwdriver. Using the blade of the screwdriver, insert into the soil. If the blade goes in easily and without force, then you can rest assured that your lawn is getting the right amount of water. If it goes in a little too easy, it's probably getting too much water, and you can probably cut back on watering and read our second tip. You can also test moisture with a soil moisture meter that can tell you how moist is the soil with high accuracy.
Switch to a Smart Sprinkler System to Conserve Water
If you're using a manual sprinkler system you're probably adjusting your watering schedule once or twice every season. This can result in overwatering your lawn, causing your water bill to increase. Switching your system to a smart, automated system can help reduce the stresses of monitoring your watering schedule. Automated systems make it easy to change your watering scheduling from virtually anywhere using a smartphone app. Most systems are intelligent enough to turn your water off or reschedule your cycle based on inclement weather. You can view your monthly and annual water usage so you can adjust your sprinklers and watering schedule accordingly.
Contrary to what you might think, these automated systems are remarkably affordable and easy to install. Some states even offer rebates due to their ability to help homeowners conserve water.
Water Beneath Your Tree's Foliage
Don’t waste time watering the base of your trees, it’s the tip of roots that needs the water to thrive. Focus on watering around your tree’s drip line (directly beneath your tree’s foliage). If you want to really make sure your trees are getting enough water, try applying a generous layer of mulch.
Raising Mower Blades Will Provide More Shade for Grass Roots
Did you know that longer grass blades hold in more moisture? Next time you mow your lawn (or the next time TaskEasy does) be sure that the blades of the mower are on a higher setting. Leaving your grass a longer length will provide more shade to their roots and enable your lawn to hold in more moisture.
Bathe Your Pets Outside
Using a tub of water instead of a hose to bathe your pets will help you conserve water by not using more than you need. Bathing your pets in a dry area of your yard can help provide more moisture to your lawn.
Use a Push Broom Instead of Hose to Clean Your Driveway or Sidewalk
The next time you pull out your hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk, think about the hundreds of gallons of water you are wasting. Using a broom is an efficient and waterless way to clean around your home and to save money on water.
Conserve Water and Only Water Your Lawn Morning and Night
Watering your lawn during the day can often lead to a lack of moisture for your lawn. High temperatures throughout the day can cause water to evaporate and derive your lawn from much need moisture. If you really want a healthy lawn without having to water as much, adjust your sprinklers to water early in the morning or late at night.
We hope you enjoyed learning more about how you can help to conserve water. As always, TaskEasy is here for you and all of your home and lawn care needs. We have a large network of service experts ready to come take care of your lawn or help you with your water conservation efforts.
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