With summer in full swing, there are a lot of changes coming for the typical household. In a family home, the kids are going to be at home for the season, and there may be plans for vacations, or just more quality time together for everyone.
But there are also changes to the weather that may affect your water consumption. When summer arrives, it makes for longer, hotter days, and often less frequent rainfall.
That usually means needing to use more water resources for homes with lawns, trees, and other vegetation that needs ample hydration to survive. However, we have some tips that will let you use your water for fun, and still keep your bills lower.
Change Your Watering Schedule
At some point, you’ll probably want to turn on the hose or the sprinklers and let the kids have some fun in the yard. The water that goes through these systems can be a bit more efficient with usage if you time when you use a hose or sprinklers on your plants.
Watering vegetation in the middle of the day means that the water is going to evaporate much faster. As with rainfall, plants don’t use all the water immediately; they don’t have the capacity.
But if you choose to water plants in the morning or the evening, the cooler temperature allows the water to linger, letting you water less frequently as the plants more efficiently absorb the existing amounts.
Keep Your Pool Covered
Summer often seems like the perfect time for pool owners that have covers to remove them and keep them off. It makes sense, with the kids home, the impulse to jump in and swim is easier to entertain when there’s no cover in the way.
But you can save both water and energy if you’re willing to spend a few extra minutes removing and replacing a pool cover when the time comes.
A covered pool doesn’t evaporate water as quickly, especially during hot, dry summers. A covered pool also doesn’t have to work as hard for cleaning and chemical filtration, as leaves aren’t falling in, and contaminants like bird droppings are repelled.
Create a Carwash
A unique activity for kids that uses less water than a run through the sprinklers is a carwash—with dirt!—for toys.
Just gather up some dirt, add water to make a little mud, then let the kids get their cars or other toys as dirty as they like. That’s where the second part of the activity comes in.
With containers filled with water and soap, if you prefer, the kids can first have fun playing with the mud, then take their toys and put them through their own car wash.
As long you’re careful about the selection of toys, this can be great water activity that doesn’t use much water!
