Staying hydrated and refreshed is essential for getting through the humid summer months, however, a heavy reliance on water can send water bills soaring - and can even lead to nationwide shortages!
So, how can you be frugal with your water supply in a way that isn’t too restrictive or impeding on your daily lifestyle? Being careful with your water use doesn’t mean stopping completely, it just means opting for wiser choices that will mount up in the long run.
To prevent any hefty bills, damage to the environment or the likes of hosepipe bans over the warmer months, consult MonsterPlumb’s guide on ways to save water this summer.
Water Saving Tips for Showers
The average bath uses around 80 litres of water, which quickly mounts up to an unfathomable amount if regularly used. This can result in some high bills, particularly if they’re steaming hot. Cut down on baths and take a shower instead!
- Taking a shower cuts down almost half the water usage
- Conserve water by taking around 4 minutes in the shower (the average time Brits tend to spend in the shower is seven minutes 30 seconds - roughly racking up a pricey 90 litres of water per wash)
- Install an eco-friendly low-flow showerhead to limit the amount of water passing through.
- Brave a cold shower - this uses less energy and thus saves you more money.
In particularly hot summers you may want to turn the boiler off completely and sustain your home with either cold water or electric appliances.
Electric showers are a great way to limit water and heat consumption to easily save money across your bills.
Turn to MonsterPlumbs’ ‘Should You Turn Your Boiler Off During The Summer?’ post for more in-depth information regarding boiler use in the heat.
Bear in mind that if you’re saving elsewhere, then luxuries like a heated, relaxing soak in the bath won’t hurt now and again. However, for a guilt-free bathing experience, why not reuse the leftover bathwater to replenish any thirsty plants in or outside the home?
Water Saving Tips for Toilets
It may surprise you just how much money you are flushing away when dealing with a toilet not optimised for water conservation.
- Install a Dual flush mechanism that will allow you to choose between two flush modes depending on the use of the toilet. The Fluidmaster Pro 550 Dual Flush Valve below illustrates how this mechanism works.
- Check for any clean water leaks from the cistern into the pan of the toilet as they can go unseen and soon rack up a hefty bill based on wasted water.
Water Saving Tip for Taps
Taps are another contender for large amounts of water wastage.
- Turn taps off when not in use. Get into the habit of switching them on and off as you’re brushing your teeth or getting washed so that they’re not constantly running.
- Identify and tackle any leaks with a change of taps or a leak sealer.
Dripping taps may seem more like an annoyance than a cause for concern, but think of it as money unnecessarily dripping away and your mindset may change.
- If your tap is regularly dripping, consider installing new taps and/or fittings.
- It might be useful to have a tap repair kit handy in your home, this way you can quickly put a stop to any pesky inconveniences.
This Tap Washer Kit Box comes complete with flat tap washers, dome tap washers, delta tap washers, tantofex tap washers and cap and lining washer fibres.
Water Saving Tips for Cleaning Up
Not only is our self-hygiene important, but keeping our possessions fresh and clean is too. Turn to some efficient cleaning tips to turn these tasks into an effortless money-saving scheme.
- Fill up dishwashers to full capacity before letting them run. If you’re concerned about having dirty kitchenware waiting around in the summer heat, perhaps run items under cold water to remove any remaining food product and place them in the dishwasher until it’s full.
- Similarly, fill up washing machines before use as they are also big culprits for large amounts of water use. Limiting the number of washes will help in the long run.
Water Saving Tips for the Garden
When the heat hits, you may likely be spending more time out of the house. Here are some tips for how to conserve water whilst still having fun and embracing the outdoors.
- Avoid sprinklers - or at least don’t keep them running for an unnecessarily long amount of time.
- Use a water butt to collect the natural supply of rainwater, which can later be distributed around the garden.
- Following this, avoid using a hose by filling up watering cans from the water butt and use this to keep your garden blooming.
- Emptying the used water from a paddling pool is another way to reuse water to feed your garden.
- When it comes to water fights, fill up water guns from a bucket rather than leaving a hose running.
Carrying out these last few steps around children can also encourage and teach them to get involved with eco-friendly ways of living!
Now you’re equipped with some nifty water, energy and money conserving tips, why not try implementing a few into your daily routine?
Start small and work your way up, or begin by simply tackling that irritating dripping tap or swapping to a dual flush for your toilet. Each little change will make a difference!
For further help and advice on how to optimise the efficiency of your home, browse through more posts on our blog.