How to save water at home
According to the Australian government, “Australia uses more water per person than most other countries in the world”. For a country that experiences regular droughts in some states, this is something that we should all be worried about. In order to lower our national water usage, it’s important that we each do our part to save water ourselves. Being such a precious natural resource, we need to preserve it as much as we can, especially considering that we use more water than we should. As global warming continues to damage the ozone layer, the climate becomes warmer and as a result we receive less rain. This further increases our need to save as much water as we possibly can. As plumbers on the Mornington Peninsula, water saving is something that we are often asked about. So how can you do your part and help to save water? Here are our top 5 ways to save water at home.1. Only purchase appliances with high water ratings
When you go to purchase a dishwasher, washing machine, or even a tap, you’ll notice that each one of them will have a water rating sticker on the front. This indicates how water-efficient the appliance is. The more stars, the less water your appliance will use, and the more money you will save. You should aim to purchase appliances with a 3–5-star rating. You can read more information about the “Water Efficient and Labelling Standards” here. At HRA plumbing, we only install appliances with high water ratings, so that you can start saving water and money.2. Turn off the taps
Don’t leave the taps on unnecessarily! Whether you’re brushing your teeth or washing the dishes, leaving the tap on can waste up to 6 litres per minute. If multiple people in your home do this each day, the numbers add up. Leaking taps are another cause of water wastage, and could waste up to 60 litres of water each week. Another way you can minimise the water usage from your taps is to install aerators on your taps. Aerators give the feeling of a high flowing tap whilst using only half the water. They can simply be screwed on to the end of a tap to reduce the flow-rate and aerate the water. If you’re looking for a bathroom renovation in Mornington that’s going to save you water and money, get in contact with your local plumber on the Mornington Peninsula.
3. Recycle your water
Rainwater tanks are available in many different sizes, and are practical for any Australian family home. Modern tanks are even capable of fitting down the side of narrow walkways and under decks. They are designed to capture rainwater from the roof and other areas of the home. This water is then transported into a filtered storage tank where it can be disinfected and pumped through a series of filters before it can be used. There are also grey-water systems which recycle the water you use in the shower, bath or sinks. However, these grey-water systems should ideally be installed at the beginning stage of a new house build. This is because they are extremely difficult to install after a dwelling has already been constructed.4. Take shorter and smarter showers
If you take long showers, you could be wasting a significant amount of water! You should aim to keep your showers between 3-5 minutes to avoid using too much. There are shower timers available to purchase which can help you to stay within the time frame. Another great thing you can do is to install a water saving shower head. According to GWM Water, newer, water-efficient shower heads will use approximately 9 litres per minute. This is in comparison with many older style shower heads which can use up to 19 litres per minute, over double what an efficient shower head would use. If you were to have a 5-minute shower each day with an older style shower head, you could be using up to 36500 litres a year. Considering the average person in Australia uses 100,000 litres a year, that’s over a third of your consumption. Contact your residential plumber in Mornington today to install a water-efficient shower head in your home.