With the state of our current global climate and our rapidly changing world’s environmental concerns, water conservation and eco-consciousness should be a priority for us all. Water conservation not only has a significant and lasting impact on the well-being of our planet, but also on our wallets! In just a quick 6-minute read, find out how you can be more conscious of your water consumption both at home, as well as how a quick search for a ‘plumber Cape Town’ could help you kick-start your green-home journey!
How You Might Be Wasting Water Right Now
There are several ways in which we are all guilty of wasting water on a regular or even daily basis, from leaky taps to old plumbing fixtures, we don’t even realize the harm we’ve done until it’s too late! However, it doesn’t have to be that way, with this guide you can easily identify where you might be going wrong and how to fix it or prevent wasting more water than is necessary. Below are a few of the most common home water-wasting mistakes we are have all probably been guilty of at least once:
• Overdoing it with the Garden-Watering System: Outdoor watering systems can account for up to if not more than a third of a household’s water usage, and all that fuss is not always essential! An easy way to cut down on this excessive consumption is to reconsider your landscaping set up, stick with plants that flourish in your climate so that you don’t waste a precious water supply on exotic florae and faunae. Opting for drought-resistant native plants is also a bonus!
• Inefficient Toilet Flushing Systems: Your toilet might be using way more water for a simple flush than it needs to in today’s day and age. Toilets manufactured before the mid-90’s tend to use double or more the amount of water than the current water-saving standard. If you’re living in an older house that hasn’t been renovated or upgraded in a while, you may seriously want to consider investing in a newer, more efficient and water-savvy model that can be installed by a qualified plumber Cape Town.
• Secret Leaks: This one isn’t necessarily one that we cause, but if gone unnoticed it will not only cost you a pretty penny in water bills, but could also cause serious water-damage to your home. Now, not all leaks are easy to spot which is why it is important to periodically get a plumber Cape Town to do a full check-up on your home-plumbing system. Even if a faucet in your kitchen or bathroom isn’t dripping, there might be a leak at the base of the spout and your O-ring might need replacing.
• Old Water Fixtures: This is similar to the toilet flushing problem but outdated water fixtures go far beyond just a retro toilet. Old shower heads or bathroom and sink faucets – much like toilets – use a lot more water than is necessary. Replacing these old fixtures with newer water-wise replacements or even attachments will be worth your while when you get your next water bill.
• Daily Baths: This should be obvious – baths use a lot more water than showers do. This is not to say – never take a bath again! Rather, if you’re someone who partakes in daily baths, or whose kids need bathing, try filling your bath to a lower water-level if baths are essential to you, or try taking a bath maybe once a week to treat yourself instead and shower the rest of the time.
• Leaving the Tap Running: At this point, we’ve all seen the TV-Ads, but believe it or not people still do this! The biggest culprits of this are always hygiene tasks like brushing teeth or hand-washing dishes. If the water is not actively in use, turn it off – you’ll save so much water by doing these small things you probably don’t think of in the moment.
• Running Half or Partial Loads: Sometimes we find ourselves in a pinch for a garment or a dish so we irrationally run a half-full dishwasher or washing machine but this is incredibly wasteful! If you’re needing something that desperately but it’s dirty, a hand-wash never hurt anyone!
Water Conservation at Home
Conserving water at home doesn’t have to be labour-intensive or costly! There are plenty of things we could change about our lifestyles and homes that would make an even bigger impact than we realize. Here are a few tips and tricks for conserving water in your home, some of which might even prevent you from needing to call a plumber Cape Town anytime soon!
• If you have pets, wash them on parts of the lawn/garden that need some extra hydration, two birds with one stone!
• Make sure to water the garden at the coolest times of day like early morning or in the evening so as to prevent water from evaporating too quickly and the plants drying out
• If you must run a bath, plug the drain as soon as the water starts running and adjust the temperature as it fills instead of letting the water run until its hot before plugging.
• Go to car washes instead of washing at home, most car washes use recycled water whereas washing at home with a hose wastes a lot.
• If you can’t afford a car wash, try washing with soapy water in a bucket instead of a hose. Water consumption and wastage will be easier to manage this way.
• Don’t use water to defrost your food, this is a popular method but so wasteful because that water is often not reused. Rather take the food out earlier or if you’re in a pinch, use the leftover water on your houseplants.
• Install water-efficient or low-flow water fixtures.
• Plug the sink when shaving instead of leaving the tap running to rinse your razor.
• Keep your pool covered when it’s not being used to avoid evaporation and the need to fill it up again later.
How a Plumber Cape Town Can Help with Water Conservation
There are several easy and straightforward water conservation tactics you can incorporate into your home today, however other more long-term or convenient home-improvements for water conservation might require the help of an experienced plumber Cape Town. It is no secret that any major shift in a plumbing system will be best done by a professional and so if you are serious about going green with your plumbing, there is no better plumber cape town to assist you than a Plumbing Ways expert. Here are a few green-plumbing tactics you won’t want to DIY, call a plumber Cape Town to get the job done:
• Whole-Home Water Filtration System: These filtration fixtures are a great addition to any home as they filter out any microbial pathogens and toxins people commonly find in their tap water, even the ‘safe-to-drink’ tap water that Capetonians love! This is definitely something you’ll be wanting a plumber Cape Town to be taking care of.
• Tankless Water Heaters: The standard amount of energy consumption used in heating up a water tank is extortionate! Tankless designs are not only far more energy-efficient but also take up much less space while offering an uninterrupted supply of hot water. These heating systems also tend to last up to ten years longer than standard tanks but it’s definitely something you’ll want a professional to install.
• Water-Reuse System: Also known as a Greywater system, this tactic uses the runoff from baths, showers, sinks and washing machines so as to combat water waste! Using a system to treat and transport this water is a great way to truly amp up your green-plumbing and a qualified plumber Cape Town is perfect for the job.
• Installing Temperature-Adjustable Sink and Shower Faucets: Installing faucets with one tap instead of two can save a lot of water! By having one tap which can adjust both temperatures, avoids the waste of having to open two taps whilst waiting for the perfect temperature. The transition from a two-tap to one-tap system can be tricky so hiring a professional plumber Cape Town is the way to go.
• Bathroom or Kitchen Renovations: A Plumbing Ways speciality! Although it’s a pricey one, if your home is a little outdated with its plumbing fixtures, a renovation is due. Bathroom or kitchen renovations allow plumbers to replace all the old and water-wasting fixtures like toilets and taps with newer modern and water-saving models all in one go. If a bathroom or kitchen renovation has been on your wish list for a while, then going green with your home plumbing might just be the perfect excuse.
Why You Should Go Green with Your Plumbing
There are several reasons why going green with your home plumbing could be beneficial to both you, your wallet and the environment. With the rapidly-changing global environment, we all need to do our part to save water and energy while we can and luckily this can all be done whilst saving us a pretty penny in the long term! Here are a few things to take into consideration when thinking of going green with your home plumbing:
• Water Conservation: This is quite obvious but going green with your home plumbing can help if not eradicate the waste of this essential resource. Water conservation in turn helps to also conserve energy which reduces our emission of greenhouse gasses which is causing global warming. Water conservation is also essential in locations like Cape Town which is vulnerable to disasters like droughts.
• Increased Lifespan on Plumbing Fixtures: The installation of modern or low-flow plumbing fixtures has more benefits than just saving water and looking nice. These upgraded fixtures also tend to have longer lifespans than outdates, water-wasting fixtures, which will save you money in the long term as you won’t have to think about repairs, replacements or upgrades for a very long time.
• Saving Money on Utility Bills: Utilising green-plumbing tactics or having a professional plumber Cape Town install water-saving systems in your home can help you save hundreds, if not thousands, on utility bills per month. A kitchen or bathroom renovation consisting of the installation of low-flow fixtures like toilets, sink taps or shower heads, can pay for itself within a year due to all the monthly savings you will have!
If you are not yet sufficiently convinced to go green with your home plumbing, then a quick chat with Plumbing Ways’ friendly consultants and professional plumber Cape Town team should do the trick! If you are in need of a plumber Cape Town for your plumbing problems – big or small – Plumbing Ways is your go-to plumbing company. From fixing your hidden leaks, installing state-of-the-art plumbing fixtures and systems, to helping you go green with your home plumbing, a plumber Cape Town from Plumbing Ways’ professional team has got it covered.