Conservation Inside Your Home

Efficiency and conservation tips

Did you know that toilets are the largest source of indoor water use in single-family homes? The average North American household uses 24% of their indoor water demand for flushing their toilet.

Fortunately your household can reduce toilet water usage by repairing toilet leaks or by installing new water efficient toilets.

Older toilet models can use as much as 3 to 4 gallons of water per flush. A new, high efficiency toilet uses 1 gallon per flush or less and can save an average household gallons of water each month.

Fix a leaky toilet

About 12% of water in the average North American household is lost to leaks. Checking your toilet is a likely place to find these leaks. Sometimes the leak will be apparent; you can hear running water or a trickle. However, often the leak can be silent and are easily overlooked.

Tips to reduce water wastage

Check your toilet for leaks regularly by putting a few drops of food colouring into the tank. If the colour appears in the bowl after 15-20 minutes, you have a leak.
Install a low flow shower head
Replace older faucet aerators with new water efficient ones
Install a high efficiency, WaterSense labelled toilet.
Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Take a short, five-minute shower instead of a bath.

Think before you flush

Many items that are flushed down the toilet are harmful to both the environment and the wastewater collection and treatment system. Our Watershed Protection Plan helps us minimize our effect on our water ecosystem.

Some things should not go down the toilet. We tested to see what happens to flushable wipes, paper towel, toilet paper and tissue when they are left in water. Watch to learn what paper products break down in water.

Products that are bad for your sewer pipes

Dental floss.
Dental floss can get wrapped around the backflow valve in the sanitary sewer pipe, resulting in raw sewage backing up into your home.
"Flushable" baby wipes, cleaning wipes, disposable diapers and cotton swabs.
These products are not "flushable" and can quickly clog up a sewer pipe.
Cooking fats, oils and grease.
Fats, oils and grease cannot be broken down by flushing with hot water and soap. They will clog your pipes.

Products that are bad for your local watershed

Wastewater treatment facilities aren't designed to remove most medicines, personal care products or household hazardous wastes. Because of this, some products may get returned untreated into our lakes and rivers.
Anything that is washed or poured into grates at the side of the street will wind up flowing through the storm water system into our lakes and rivers. Storm water doesn't receive any treatment.

Product	Bad for Pipes	Bad for Watershed	Disposal Method
Personal Care Items
Needles	X		Put into a sharps container. Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Hair	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Batteries	X	X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Condoms	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Dental floss	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Disposable diapers	X		Put into a plastic bag. Dispose of it in your garbage.
Baby wipes/Cleaning wipes	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Cotton swabs	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Tampons and feminine hygiene products	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Lotions and perfume		X	Dispose of it in your garbage.
Nail polish		X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Pharmaceuticals/medicines		X	Return unused prescriptions to the pharmacist.
Pet Waste
Cat litter	X		Put into a plastic bag. Dispose of it in your garbage.
Cage lining (ex: newspaper)	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Wood shavings	X		Dispose of it in your garbage.
Household Products
Plastics (ex: bags, ballons, etc.)	X		Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Paint and turpentine	X	X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Paint stripper	X	X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Solvents	X	X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Floor and furniture polish		X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Glue	X	X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Cooking fat, oil and grease	X		Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Garbage and Garden
Fertilizer		X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Pesticides and herbicides		X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
Motor oil, lubricants and antifreeze		X	Take it to an appropriate waste disposal facility.

Below are some conservation tips for one of the busiest rooms in the house.

At the sink

Conserve water when you hand-wash dishes by partially filling the sink with soapy water and quickly rinsing dishes with a spray device or in a pan of warm water.
Clean your vegetables in a partially-filled sink rather than under a continuously running tap.
Steaming vegetables uses less water than boiling and conserves more of your vegetables' nutrients.
Keep drinking water in the fridge rather than running tap water to get it cold.
Install an aerator attachment on your taps to use up to 25% less water.

Tin it, then bin it

Don't dispose of solvents, chemicals, cleaners or cooking fat by pouring them down your drain; they can harm both the environment and your drainage system.

Drip, drop, stop

Regularly check your faucets, pipes, taps and hoses for leaks and drips. Your local hardware store can help you fix most minor household plumbing issues.

Dishwasher

Water-efficient dishwashers use less water and less energy to heat the water than standard models.
Use full loads to save water and energy.
Use the shortest wash cycle for your load size.
Use the no-heat drying cycle.
Set your water temperature to no higher than 50°C (120°F).

Electric range

Use high-quality, flat-bottomed pots and pans that match the size of the burner to avoid heat loss. Up to 40% of the heat is wasted if the pot base is smaller than the cooking element.
Check your oven's temperature with an oven thermometer to ensure the heating controls are accurate.
Make sure your oven door seals tightly.
Use the self-cleaning function immediately after cooking while your oven is still hot.
Keep your oven door closed while cooking so the temperature remains consistent. Every time you open the oven door, the temperature can drop by as much as 24°C/75°F.
Plan meals so as to make full use of the oven space.
Use a high heat setting to boil liquids on the stove, then reduce heat to maintain a consistent low boil.
Only pre-heat your oven for delicate baked goods and pastries. Most ovens will heat to 180°C/350°F in about 10 minutes.
Use glass baking dishes for better heat transfer.
Turn off your oven 15 minutes before cooking is done to allow the cooking to continue using residual heat.
Do not use your oven to heat your kitchen.
Use small appliances (like a microwave oven) when cooking or reheating small quantities of food. You'll use up to 50% less energy compared to a conventional oven.

Refrigerator

When designing your kitchen, place the fridge away from direct sunlight, heating vents and heat-generating appliances like dishwashers or ranges. Allow enough space for continual airflow around the appliance.
Extreme heat or cold make your fridge work harder, using more electricity and reducing its lifespan.
Make sure the interior of your fridge isn't overcrowded and has plenty of space for air to circulate.
The ideal temperatures for food safety and energy efficiency are: 3°C/38°F for the fridge, and -18°C/0°F for the freezer.
Make use of automatic ice makers and water dispensers.
Ensure your fridge and freezer doors are tightly sealed. Clean the seal if there's any residue.
Avoid opening your fridge or freezer door for long periods of time.

Learn energy conservation tips for your laundry room.

When purchasing new appliances, look for the WaterSense label.

Clothes washer

Start smart

When shopping for a new clothes washer, look for energy efficient models.
A front-loading machine uses less water and detergent than a standard top-loading machine.
Put your washing machine close to your hot water tank to reduce heat loss in the connecting pipes.

Wash right

Choose an appropriate wash cycle for the size of the load. Eight to ten minutes is enough for most laundry requirements. Use the shortest cycle possible.
Wash only full loads of laundry and don't overload your machine.
Use a cold water rinse to save energy and reduce wrinkles.
If your washer has an adjustable water-level indicator, set it to use only as much water as needed.
Choose cleaning products that won't harm the environment.

Clothes dryer

Keep it clean

Clean your lint filter after each load. Wash the lint screen once a year to remove film left by fabric softeners.
Vacuum your exhaust duct periodically to ensure air moves freely through the dryer vents.

Load efficiently

Dry thin, quick-drying items together in a short cycle, rather than mixing with items that take longer to dry.
Avoid over-drying clothes to preserve colours, prevent wrinkles and save energy.
Choose a drying cycle with a "cool down" function to dry without heat for the last few minutes.
Dry loads one after another to take advantage of an already warm dryer.
Use an indoor or outdoor clothesline for some of your drying.
Make sure the water is completely wrung out of your clothes to minimize drying time.
Use a sensor cycle instead of a timed cycle so your dryer stops when clothes are dry.

Vent properly

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations as to the size and length of dryer ducting.
Install an automatic bypass vent to allow the warm air from the dryer to circulate into the laundry room during winter months. Be sure to set it to summer mode when the weather warms up so you don't increase your cooling costs.

Washing machines

Energy Star rated washing machines use less energy and water than regular washers.

Dishwashers

Make sure to check for the energy efficient Energy Star rated models.

Toilets

Toilet flushing is the largest indoor use of water in single-family homes. Recent advancements have allowed toilets to use less water per flush while maintaining equal or superior performance. Look to replace old, inefficient toilets with WaterSense labelled models.

Showerheads

Efficient showerheads are available in many styles. Water efficient showerheads reduce hot water requirements - and as a result - reduce the cost of heating water.

Aerators

Install low-flow aerators on faucets.

Outdoor irrigation

Many automatic irrigation systems are controlled with a timer. You can also invest in an inexpensive moisture sensor, ensuring the system doesn't operate unless watering is actually needed.

Not all hot water tanks are created equal. When shopping for a new tank, here are some things to look for:

Choose a high-efficiency water tank.
Choose the electronic ignition option instead of a traditional pilot light for greater efficiency and safety.
Consider a tank with an automatic vent damper to reduce convection up the exhaust stack.
When designing your house or garage, place your hot water tank (and mechanical room) as close to the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms as possible to avoid heat loss through your pipes.

Conservation inside your home