When it comes to saving money around the house, the first port of call is usually changing your energy provider, and cutting back on certain luxuries. But did you know you could save even more money at home by cutting back on your water usage? By making a few small changes in your daily routine, you could conserve plenty of water. Mr Lender has put together a few handy tips to help you save money at home.
The taps
More water is lost through your taps than you may realise on a daily basis. Leaving the taps on while you brush your teeth can waste an astonishing 6L of water per minute! A dripping tap is also likely to waste precious water which you are in fact still paying for. A dripping tap can waste around 5,000L of water per year.
But remember, it isn’t just bathroom taps which waste money and water. A kitchen tap can get through 2-25L of water per minute. Try using an aerator to save money on your water bills. An aerator mixes air and water, without affecting the amount of pressure it produces. You can save more money in the kitchen by using a simple plug and washing up bowl to use less water – this tip could in fact halve your water usage.
One further way you can save money on your water bills in the kitchen is to place a jug of water in the fridge, rather than leaving the tap to run cold when filling a glass. Waiting for the water to run cold can actually waste more than 10L of tap water a day.
Taking a shower
Taking a shower is often claimed to use far less water than a bath – though, of course, this depends on how long you spend in it. A shower can use anything from 6-45L of water per minute. A typical bath will use around 80L. If you want to cut back on your water bills, try taking a shorter shower – alternatively you can save around 5L of water by running your bath just an inch shorter than usual. Just like the kitchen taps, you can invest in aerated shower heads to further save on your water bills. However, it is important to remember a power shower can in fact use more water than a bath, so choose carefully!
Kitchen appliances
If you’re trying to save money on your water bills, the kitchen is a good place to start. For instance, using the dishwasher and washing machine to full capacity will not only save you money on your energy bills, but it will save you money on your water bills too.
When getting a new washing machine, you can save money on your water bills by opting for a machine which uses less than 7.5L per Kg. You can then save more on your water bills by putting larger loads in your machine and utilising it as much as possible.
Saving water for the garden
Your plants aren’t particularly fussy when it comes to the water they drink, so collect as much water as you can from around the house to feed your plants. You can reuse bath water to feed your plants, or even get a water butt to collect rain water. Attach the butt to the bottom of your drain pipe, and use any collected water to water your plants, or even use it to clean the car or wash the windows.
Another way to save money on your water bills from the garden is to use a watering can instead of a hose. A garden hose can use a whopping 1,000L of water per minute! The time of day you water your plants can also have an impact on your water bill – watering your plants early in the morning or late afternoon will reduce the amount of water being evaporated, and will therefore mean they need to be watered less.
Water meters
Getting a water meter installed in your home could save you money on your water bills and help you to conserve more water. With a water meter, you will most likely receive an itemised bill, allowing you to see exactly where your water is going. Having a water bill means you are more incentivised to waste less, as you can see a better breakdown of where your water is going.
Detect leaks
Having a leak can impact massively on your water bills – regardless where it is in the house. It’s always important to fix a leak as soon as you notice it to avoid further costs. One way to detect a leak in your toilet cistern is to add a few drops of food colour to the cistern, and leave it for an hour. If you return an hour later and the food colouring has found its way into the toilet bowl, you’ve most likely got a leak. This is a relatively simple and inexpensive problem to fix – you can have a go at fixing the leak yourself, or simply call in a reputable plumber to sort it for you.
Dual flush toilet
Using a dual flush toilet will use 4-6L of water every time you flush. While this may sound like a lot, it’s only a fraction of the 13L of water used to flush a standard toilet. A dual flush system allows you to choose between a smaller flush to conserve water, or a larger flush when needed.