Water Conservation - Top Tips For Your Home

Conserving water is an ongoing concern that every Australian household should be mindful of. Not only is the cost of water rising all the time, but our country experiences many periods of drought, so saving water is of paramount importance. Let’s look at just a few key ways you can conserve water in your home.

Dripping and Leaking Taps Waste Water

If you have taps that are consistently dripping or leaking 24 hours a day, that’s a lot of wasted water going down the drain. While it may not look like much, it sure adds up over time.

You really need to check all of the taps inside and outside your home to ascertain that there are no drips and leaks. If you do discover any, replace the tap washers or call in your plumber to take care of the problem for you. Taps that are leaking badly might need more than just a tap washer replaced.

 

Check That Your Toilets Are Not Leaking

Another common household water leak is a toilet system that’s not sealing properly and therefore continually leaks water into the bowl. Sometimes these leaks, if minor, can be hard to spot but if you put your ear against the water tank, you’ll be able to hear if there’s a leak.

Like a dripping tap, a toilet that leaks continuously consumes a lot of excess water, so you’ll want to call in a plumber to rectify the issue as soon as possible.

 

Brushing Your Teeth Or Shaving? Don’t Leave the Tap Running

So many people have a habit of leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth or shaving. Sometimes this can even be an unconscious habit. Once you’ve wet your toothbrush or you’ve flushed away the stubble on the razor, turn off the tap until you need to rinse your mouth or the razor blade again.

Everybody in the home needs to get into the habit of not wasting water while shaving or brushing their teeth. Every little bit of effort helps and what seem like small water saving gestures add up in the long term.

 

Save Water (and Money) By Installing a Water Tank

Think of a water tank as an investment, despite the fact that you might spend a few thousand dollars purchasing one and having it professionally installed. Not only will you be doing your bit to save the planet, but you’ll have a nice store of rainwater to use to water the gardens, top up the swimming pool or to use for general indoor or outdoor cleaning. You could even wash your car with water from the water tank, or fill up buckets from the tank to flush toilets.

 

Put a Timer On Your Shower Time

While everyone obviously needs to take regular showers, extended showering definitely consumes copious amounts of water. That’s why it’s wise, and often suggested, to put a time limit on showering. Generally, around 5 minutes is enough time to bathe and rinse off under the shower, so that could be a good starting point for your time restrictions.

This idea is only useful if everyone is on board. If only one person out of a household of four or five limits their shower time, water savings are going to be minimal. Plus, it’s not really fair unless everyone abides by the rule.

 

Front Loading Washing Machines Use Less Water

If you’re currently using a top loading washing machine, you might want to consider trading that one in for a front loader. Not only are front loading washing machines cheaper to run as far as power consumption is concerned, they also consume far less water than top loaders. You’ll save cash on both your water bills and electricity bills.

 

Have Your Plumber Check for Hidden Water Leaks

You may have already done the rounds of your house, both inside and outside, to check for leaking taps, but what about other water leaks, perhaps water leaks that are not so obvious? Have you noticed any unusual damp patches somewhere in the yard, or a section of the lawn that seems extra lush and green compared to the rest of it? This can indicate a leaking pipe somewhere underground. Pipes can also leak in ceilings, behind walls, under flooring. Wherever they happen to be located.

It’s a wise idea to get your plumber in for a routine maintenance check at least, to ensure you don’t have any hidden water leaks anywhere.

 

Have Water Saving Shower Heads and Taps Installed

Another thing you can consider when it comes to conserving water in your home is to have a plumber come in and install water saving taps and low flow shower heads. These devices reduce the amount of water being used without compromising good water pressure. Taps will still flow freely and you can still enjoy a good shower.

With your home fitted with low flow taps and shower heads, you’ll be saving water immediately, as well as reducing your water bills.

 

Don’t Water the Garden In the Heat Of the Day

The best time to water the lawn or the gardens is in the evening, when the sun is going down. This will give the plants and grass a chance to have a good drink during the night without the hot sun merely evaporating the water in rapid time.

You could even do it very early in the morning, where there’s still a few hours of relative cool before the heat of the day sets in.

 

Wait for Your Dishwasher To Be Full Before Using It

Some people who use dishwashers are in the habit of firing it up as soon as there are a few items inside that need washing. Instead, resist this temptation and wait for your dishwasher to fill up first. Dishwashers use an incredible amount of water on average, so try and refrain from turning it on until your have a full load to do.

 

The Takeaway

Common sense prevails when it comes to conserving water in the home. So long as everyone in the household gets on board, you’ll preserve our most precious resource and save money in the process.

For more water conservation tips and advice and for general plumbing maintenance, get in touch with Refined Plumbing Sunshine Coast.