Home maintenance ideas
- Periodically inspect the flush valve and overflow valve in
all the toilets. A test is done by placing a few drops of food
coloring into the tank and waiting approximately 25 minutes,
without flushing the toilet. If you see the food coloring seep
into the bowl, a toilet leak is confirmed. Sometimes a
“shimmer” on the surface of the toilet bowl water will be
evident and is another way to confirm that there is a leak.
The flush valve or “flapper” located in the bottom of the
toilet tank will eventually wear out and require replacement.
Upon replacing the flapper, be sure to have it properly seat
against the contact at the bottom of the tank.
Check the overflow valve for the correct water level in the
tank by removing the tank lid and verifying that the water
level is approximately one inch below the overflow valve.
Always make sure that the water in the tank is not running
into the overflow tube. Normally, the arm of the ball float
can be adjusted in order to bring the water level to the
desired height. Check the positioning of the refill tube in
relation to the overflow tube to ensure that there is no
siphoning effect when the tank is refilling.
- During remodeling or toilet replacement consider the use
of 1.8-gallon low flow toilets, which use approximately half
the water per flush compared to the conventional types.
- Install aerators on water faucets and showerheads.
- Purchase water efficient washing machines and dishwashers
and operate with only full loads.
- Routinely inspect water back-up sump pumps and repair
dripping faucets.
- Inspect the furnace humidifier overflow valve for
excessive water flow (if equipped).
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Tips for efficient lawn and landscape irrigation
- To minimize evaporation, water lawns between midnight and
5:00am during the hottest summer months. Utilize sprinkler
rain shutoff devices to avoid unnecessary watering.
- Review sprinkler manufacturer specifications for gallons
per minute usage in order to establish irrigation guidelines
within your household budget for water consumption.
- Irrigate lawns for a maximum of 20 minutes per zone every
other day during drought periods and much less for landscape
beds. Frequent over watering can actually be detrimental to
your lawn and landscapes.
- Be observant for breaks in underground lines or sprinkler
heads that may contribute to a system leak.
- Mow your grass at a height of approximately three inches
or higher and use a mulching blade so that the clippings act
as a natural fertilizer and also hold in moisture.
- Use a larger part of your yard for landscape beds as
opposed to lawn area. Landscape beds require far less
irrigation than lawns.
- Use plenty of mulch in your landscape beds to hold in
moisture and plant deep-rooted flowers and shrubs that are
more drought resistant.
- Follow the mandatory
odd-even date watering system. Residents with odd numbered
addresses are asked to water outdoors only on the odd numbered
calendar dates, while homeowners with even numbered addresses
should limit outdoor water use to even numbered calendar
dates. Use the last number in your address to determine if you
have an even or odd numbered address. Water during the
non-peak hours of midnight through 5:00am.
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