It’s a fact that water and electricity bills in San Diego have consistently risen over the last two decades. On Tuesday September 20, San Diego City Council voted and approved future water rate increases of almost 20%. We are happy to note this is at least being done in phases, as water rates will now go up 5% starting on Dec. 1, then increase another 5.2% on July 1, 2024, according to city officials. A last increase of 8.7% overall will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
The average monthly cost for single-family homes would climb from $81.07 to $93.55 in 2025 with the rate increases. – KPBS News San Diego
What are the best ways to save money on your water bill in San Diego?
Let’s look at the most impactful ways to reduce water usage on your property. First, for the home interior, we recommend looking at the efficiency and age of your appliances. If you’re already paying for repairs on a 15 year old laundry machine or dishwashing machine, it may make sense to replace them with modern and more efficient models. At some point it might be worth it to demolish dated flooring or tiling, or even drywall with a complete kitchen and/or bathroom remodel. Often times we will recommend taking advantage of any time when you plan on removing appliances to complete additional services, whether necessary or aesthetic it can save time and money.
Nowadays we have low water usage toilets, faucets, and even showerheads, so be sure to cover as many water sources as possible with your inefficiency research. The US EPA says “By replacing old, inefficient toilets with WaterSense labeled models, the average family can reduce water used for toilets by 20 to 60 percent—that’s nearly 13,000 gallons of water savings for your home every year!”
If you want to estimate the costs for a bathroom or kitchen remodel in San Diego, be sure to contact a licensed professional such as our project managers here at Designs 4 You Remodeling. You may also DIY many of these improvements in this article, just be sure to get proper permitting and consult professionals when needed.
Besides interior home and appliance improvements, you may also want to look into a backyard (and/or front yard) landscape remodel. By having a team of professionals like us at Designs 4 You Remodeling design and build a modern drought tolerant landscape, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars yearly on water costs. We have many homeowners who have come to us with older sprinkler setups that keep breaking and use high volumes of water for sub-par grass, and we create a dream backyard that uses up to 90% less water. These high numbers are achieved by eliminating grass and replacing with desert landscaping, hardscape, and artificial turf. We can also remove water features and fix draining or pooling problems on the property. If you’re a San Diego homeowner contact us today for a free consultation and estimate on a water-saving backyard remodel.
San Diego homeowners are lucky to have the County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program, which has multiple ways for you to get a rebate on water-saving landscaping renovations. Such as $2-4 per square foot of replaced grass, depending on available funding. We can help guide you through the proper improvements that can qualify for these rebates.
What are the best ways to save money on your electricity bill in San Diego?
As mentioned above, appliances are one of the most impactful elements of an electricity bill, just like your water bill. But you may find that a few appliances are more specific to which utility they use more of. For example, a toilet uses lots of water, but very little electricity. In comparison, a refrigerator uses a lot of electricity, but very little water. Two common ways to find out the energy rating and usage of a home appliance are:
- Check the label, if not too old and it’s still readable, you can find the energy star rating and estimated usage (if it doesn’t have energy star rating then it’s likely very old and time to replace)
- Use a device that gauges the electricity usage of devices. Unfortunately most of the affordable versions of this device only work on standard 110v outlets, and not on the larger appliance 220 volt.
When it comes down to it, you’ll probably want to swap out all your dated appliances, it might be a good time to remodel the whole kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room (flooring, drywall, accents and modern fixtures, remove mold and water stains)
Adding Insultation
Another impactful way to save money on your electricity bill is insulation. This includes windows and doors mainly, but can also include attic and basement spaces as well as other areas. Replacing outdated windows and doors can be impactful in increasing your homes ability to hold heat, and vice versa, hold the cold. So when you need to use your heat or your A/C, less escapes to the outside and the home stays at your desired temperature for longer, reducing the length the A/C or heating unit needs to be on for. If you want to look in-depth into the best insulation options for the southwestern United States desert climates, this is a great resource on reddit about hyperinsulating.
If you have questions about how to save water and electricity in your San Diego home, please feel free to reach out and schedule a free consultation and estimate. We would love to help save you money and create your dream home!
