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While getting squeaky clean, you could be wasting gallons of water in your morning rinse. Though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the average shower is eight minutes long, many folks turn on the tap a few minutes before stepping in to allow their water to get hot—understandable during chilly months. But according to research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, most people start their shower at least a minute after the water has reached appropriate bathing temperature. This wastes around 2 to 5 gallons per shower, up to 1,825 gallons per person per year if you’re taking one shower per day.

If your shower water takes some time to heat up, monitor the temperature closely instead of doing other morning activities such as drinking coffee or brushing your teeth; chances are you can step in sooner than you realize. Also consider swapping out your standard showerhead for a WaterSense label—an EPA certification backed by a third-party certification. In order to be marked as WaterSense, showerheads must prove they use no more than 2 gallons of water per minute (gpm)—standard showerheads use about 20 percent more gpms. Don’t want to switch out your fancy rainfall-style showerhead? Try shortening the duration of your shower. Cut showers by one minute, and you can save 550 gallons of water per year.