Timely tips for a tip-top toilet.

Today’s green tip: don’t flush your money down the toilet!

Check for leaks

Leaks inside your toilet can waste up to 200 gallons per day.  Some leaks are silent, some produce a running water sound, and others may be visible as a small trickle running from the rim to the water in the bowl.

To detect silent leaks, remove toilet tank lid and any colored cleaning agents.  Flush to clear water in the bowl.  Add dye tablets, leak detector fluid, or a few drops of food coloring to the tank.  If the tank is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 10 to 15 minutes.  Flush as soon as the test is complete.

Fix leaks

If your toilet is leaking, try the following procedures:

• Water level in the tank should be about 1/2 inch below the top of the overflow tube in the middle of the tank.  To adjust the water level, use a screwdriver to adjust the screw on the end of the ballcock float arm or bend the float arm up or down (very gently) until the correct water level is achieved.
• If you need to jiggle the handle to stop the water running after a flush, you should oil, tighten, or replace the flush handle.  To tighten, use an adjustable wrench to tighten the nut attached to the handle on the inside of the tank.
• Check for holes and cracks in the float ball.  If the ball is filled with water or no longer appears to float, it needs to be replaced.  Replace by unscrewing it from its tubing and screwing another on in its place.
• Adjust lift chain so it hangs straight from handle lever with about 1/2 inch slack.
• Check the rubber flapper or flush valve at the bottom of the tank.  If it is worn or corroded, it needs to be cleaned or replaced.
• If the water won’t shut off at all, replace both the flapper and the ballcock.
• If these simple procedures don’t stop the leak, you should call your plumber.

Install low-flow

Since the mid 1990s, all new toilets have been redesigned to conserve water, using 1.6 gallons of water per flush.  Older models use 3 gallons or more per flush.  If your toilet is not a newer water-saving fixture, consider purchasing one.

Source: ”Saving Water Indoors,” Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Be more water wise.

Today’s green tip: slow the flow!

From our friends at the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), here are a few tips for saving water in your home:

In the bathroom:

• Flush less – remember the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.
• While brushing teeth, shaving, etc. turn off the water.
• When cold water will do, avoid using hot water.  (This also saves energy!)
• Take shorter showers – 5 minutes or less.
• In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.
• Use less water when bathing – close the drain first and fill tub only one-third full.  That initial burst of cold water will be warmed by the hot water as the tub fills.

In the kitchen:

• Operate the dishwasher only when you have a full load.
• Scrape, don’t rinse, your dishes before loading in the dishwasher.
• When purchasing a dishwasher, consider a water (and energy) efficient model.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly and start composting your kitchen waste.
• Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run while you wait for cool water to flow.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink to one-third or one-half full – avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

“31 Days of Green” begins…NOW!

In honor of Living Well month, I have decided to embark on a rather ambitious project: 31 Days of Green.  Each day – and I’m talking working days here – I’ll be talking about something green, whether it’s a healthy green food or an energy-saving tip or a way to save some green (money).

So come on, join me in adding a little “color” into your life!

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Today’s green tip combines two green topics: money and the environment.

Do you drink bottled water?  You may be surprised to learn that most bottled water is nothing more than purified tap water – the same stuff that comes out of your faucet.  Don’t be led astray by the mountain on the label.  What’s more, many bottled water producers don’t list their water source on the label, thereby confusing many consumers.

Also consider the cost.  Many bottled waters are pricey, many times the cost of tap water filtered at home.  Part of that price is convenience, part is packaging, and part is prestige.  But remember, every time you twist the cap off a purchased bottle of water, you’re needlessly wasting money AND adding to the tons of discarded plastic in the environment.  Filtering your own tap water – and you may not even have to filter it depending on your taste preferences – and filling up a reusable water bottle will save you a lot of money and save space in the landfills, too.  Tap water is just a fraction of what commercially bottled water costs, even taking into consideration the price of the filter.

And speaking of reusable water bottles, sturdy plastic ones are great, but check the bottom for the number inside the recycle symbol.  If that number is 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, it is safe, meaning it is very unlikely to contain any of the controversial compound bisphenol, which has been shown to exert weak, but detectable, hormone-like properties, thereby raising concern about its use in consumer products.  Avoid bottles with the number 3 or 7 inside the recycle symbol as these may contain bisphenol.  You may also want to try reusable bottles made from stainless steel, which are both safe and durable and do not contain any bisphenol.