Sunny days are slowly but surely approaching and as the temperature climbs, so does your water bill.
It’s inevitable that your family will shower more often and that your garden will need more water. Luckily, a few changes to your water habits can go a long way when it comes to using less and saving more. There’s also a welcome side effect of being environmentally friendly, which as Adelaide and South Australian locals, we know is as important as ever. Read on for more plumbing tips, tricks and gadgets that will help to offset what you pay for water over spring and summer.
1. Cover your pool as often as you can, even in summer.
It can be tempting to leave the cover off your pool so you can jump in whenever you like, but it’s worth getting into the habit of covering up every time you leave it. A good cover will ensure no extra water evaporates in the heat, reducing how often you have to fill it up.
2. Check your toilet for leakage.
Toilet leaks could be wasting over 4 litres of water a day, and it can be hard to pinpoint whether it’s even happening. A simple way to test for leaks is to tint the water in your toilet tank with a few drops of food colouring. If the colour shows up in the bowl of your toilet, you have confirmed leakage. Luckily, this is an easy fix for a good plumber. They will usually be able to fix the problem quickly with an inexpensive flush valve outlet, once they know the make of your toilet. The fault can also involve a defect with your inlet valve, which again is usually repaired with an appropriate valve service kit. If this sounds too difficult to handle yourself, just get in contact with Mott Plumbing and we’ll get the job scheduled to suit your requirements.
3. Ditch your outdated hot water system.
A hot water system with a higher efficiency rating will help you save on energy costs and is more sustainable. Work with your plumber to choose the best option for your situation – an assessment based off your current water use and habits. You may find that the best hot water system for your situation is different to what you currently have at home. With gas, electric, solar or low pressure ceiling units available, it’s important to speak to a plumber to choose an option that saves water and lowers energy costs.
4. Garden smarter.
It may be a more long term solution, but changing what you plant and how you water could save you money, time and reward you with a beautiful, durable garden space. Planting drought tolerant plants where you would normally go with turf is becoming more and more popular in Adelaide for its practicality and unique beauty.
5. Maintain and avoid the pain of burst pipes.
Sometimes you can spot a leak soon after it happens by noticing mysterious puddles or dripping that wasn’t there before. But other times, you will only realise something is amiss when you have water spraying everywhere in what feels like an emergency plumbing situation or when you receive a higher than normal excess water bill. Avoid either scenario by regularly scheduling plumbing maintenance. A professional plumber will work with you to greatly reduce the risk of nasty surprises and skyrocketing water bills through simple checks of risk areas and tests to your supply piping. You can even do these yourself with overnight meter tests! Call us at Mott Plumbing if you need any assistance in this regard.
6. Fit a water saving shower head.
If your family is fairly water savvy and tries to take short showers, then you are the perfect candidate for a water saving device on your shower head. They work by reducing the water you use per minute by up to 15 litres and are much more effective than a timer on the bathroom wall! You can buy your own and get your plumber to install it, or ask them to recommend a product.
7. Fix those dripping taps.
Take note of that dripping sound and have your plumber replace the leaking washer and service the tap-ware. The money dripping down the drain cliche is a cliche for a reason! Luckily, it’s an easy fix and if done well, will keep you safe from these excess water charges.
While some require more effort and commitment than others, there are plenty of ways you can reduce your water use this summer. Knowing that the little extra water you use won’t hurt so much when the water bill arrives makes it all worth it. As well as saving money, in the driest state in the driest country, we have to be environmentally responsible by saving water as well.
Get in touch if you would like to talk with an experienced and trustworthy plumber about water saving techniques, general maintenance and other plumbing services in Adelaide.
Please contact Mott Plumbing today on 8462 9844 or send us a message.
All images sourced from Pinterest.
