Great water-saving tips from Grate Seal
Without a doubt, water is the most precious resource on the planet, but it is one that too many people take for granted. The availability of clean water is essential for modern life and we can all do our part to only use what we need and not literally flush it down the drain. Here at Grate Seal we take the issue of water security very seriously, so we’ve put together a number of tips and tricks to help reduce your water usage and save money in the process.
This is quite an extensive topic, so we won’t be able to get to everything in this blog, so stay tuned over the coming weeks for more great water saving tips from Grate Seal.
Water saving hardware and maintenance
Little drips add up over time
Did you know that if you have a tap that drips every 3 seconds it will waste about 3000 litres of water a year? Or, if your toilet cistern isn't sealing properly after flushing you can be wasting an astonishing 120-280,000 litres a year???
Those numbers might not mean much to you so to put things into perspective, an average human needs to consume a rough minimum of 800 litres a year to stay alive. So if you take the worst case scenario above, the water wasted by a single leaking toilet could support the drinking water needs of a small town of 350 people!
The solution? Simple maintenance and installations that just about anyone can do. We’ll be taking a look at how to maintain taps and toilets in the home in a later blog but there are loads of resources online, or you could just ask someone in your local hardware store.
Not all taps are created equal
One of the most effective ways to save water in the home or business is to install what are known as Aerators. When compared to a standard tap or showerhead, and depending on your water pressure, an Aerator can save you between 6-10 litres of water for every minute they are in use. They work by splitting water flow into smaller streams, effectively restricting it, while maintaining the same water pressure/feel.
Another kind of tapware that can drastically reduce water consumption are Time Flow taps. As the name implies, they turn the flow off after a certain period of time.
You can find an excellent, high-quality range of Aerators and Time Flow tapware from our friends over at Gentec here.
Be a star
Have you heard of the WELS star rating system? The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme was developed to help consumers be able to choose more efficient plumbing fixtures and whitegoods. So, the next time you need to replace your washing machine, showerhead or dishwasher etc, keep an eye out for the star rating. The more stars the product has the more water efficient it is.
Make the most of your roof
If you live in a house or small block of flats a good water saving idea is to have a tank installed. Water tanks come in all shapes and sizes so there is a very good chance you can find the right tank for your home or business – even if you only have very limited space.
Do you need to shower for that long?
A 10 minute shower can use about 200 litres of water, depending on your showerhead and water pressure. Cutting that shower time down to 5 minutes a day will save you 18,000 litres a year.
I want to save water but can doing so cause problems?
Saving water is great for the environment and for the hip pocket but it can cause a few problems:
- Pipes need to be flushed: If the flow through a pipe is too low sediment and bacteria can build up causing blockages
- Venting can become an issue: if there is no water going through a pipe, and if it isn't sealed properly air can vent back through the pipe in to the room and with it comes those unpleasant odors. This is why we recommend installing a Grate Seal. It will stop those unpleasant odors from becoming an issue. You can also learn more about venting problems on our blog here.
Is there more I can do?
Saving water is a big topic and there are many ways you can do your bit. In future blogs, we'll be sharing more tips and tricks to help you do your part.