We all want to do our part when it comes to reducing our environmental impact. Perhaps one of the easiest, most effective and surprisingly-inexpensive ways of doing just that is to take a look at how your home uses water.
From installing low-flow fixtures to making use of rain and gray water to simply keeping on top of any leaks, you can reduce your environmental impact and save cash at the same time. Here’s how.
Install Water-Efficient Fixtures
Water comes with a cost, both financial and environmental. Making sure that you’re using it as efficiently as possible makes sense from both angles. Luckily, there are a range of simple solutions that needn’t cost the earth (pun intended) and are straightforward to install. These include things like:
- Low-flow showerheads and faucets: cheap and easy to install, low-flow fixtures offer the same performance as their traditional counterparts.
- Dual-flush toilets: not all flushes need be the same. Liquid waste doesn’t require the full 7 gallons to wash away. Using a dual-flush system can help avoid flushing money down the drain. Toilets account for about a quarter of our daily usage, so it’s a sensible place to look for savings.
- Aerators for Faucets: aerators mix air and water together, reducing flow-rates while maintaining pressure. The result is clean hands and dishes and reduced water bills.
Upgrade To Energy Efficient Water Heaters
If it’s time for an upgrade, it can be well worth exploring energy-efficient water heater options. While any newer model will likely have less environmental impact than the decades old tank in your basement, there are a couple of styles that turn this up to 11.
Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters, as the name suggests, don’t have a storage tank. This means they heat water on demand, rather than keeping a full tank on standby. This means you’re never wasting the energy heating up water you won’t use.
Solar Water Heaters
Solar water heaters use the power of the sun to focus heat into your water supply. They’re not suitable for use everywhere, but where they can be employed they offer really significant savings over their lifetime. They’re also probably the single most environmentally-friendly solution to the hot water problem.
Even if you decide against either of these options, keeping up with regular inspections and maintenance on your water heater will pay dividends. Not only will you avoid having to scrap them, they’ll run more efficiently too.
Fix leaks Promptly
Water, as we mentioned above, has both environmental and financial costs associated with it. While you can’t avoid using it altogether, you can certainly avoid wasting it. Perhaps the biggest culprit when it comes to waste is an unnoticed leak somewhere in your plumbing.
Even a small drip can waste gallons of water if ignored for long enough. It’s well worth keeping an eye out for signs under sinks, appliances and along exposed pipework. Keep a close watch on your bills for any rises that seem out of the ordinary too- those little drips can add up quickly.
Regular inspections of your home’s plumbing can also help catch leaks before the costs add up too much.
Reuse and Recycle Water with Gray Water Systems
Gray water is water that’s already been used for some cleaning task. It could be what goes down the drain after your shower or the waste from your dishwasher. Normally, this goes down the drain and is conducted away for treatment before it can re-enter the water cycle and eventually be used again.
Gray water systems offer an alternative: reusing this water. We’re not going to suggest drinking it, but after careful filtration, it can be harnessed for all kinds of water-intensive tasks. From flushing the toilet to washing the car, there are loads of potential recycling uses for waste water.
It’s important to consult with trusted plumbing experts for sustainable solutions like these. There are strict rules in place that govern if and how gray water can be used and how it has to be handled. Dealing with a local firm means you can stay on the right side of the codes where you are.
Incorporate Rainwater Harvesting
While installing a gray water system might be great for some households, it’s not without its costs. A far cheaper solution, especially for the green thumbed amongst us is harvesting rainwater. For non-potable use like irrigation or even cleaning the car, a rain barrel could save you a fortune.
Not only does making use of mother nature’s natural supply make financial sense, it’s good for the environment too. By reducing reliance on the municipal supply, you cut your energy footprint and the amount of water processing needed.
All you really need is a couple of barrels or buckets and to leave the weather to do its thing.
Insulate Pipes
No matter how energy efficient your water-heater is, you’re going to lose some of that precious energy to the air around your pipes. Insulating them can hugely reduce this, resulting in hotter water coming from your taps and lower energy bills.
Wrapping your pipework (especially the exposed bits) in foam or rubber can help keep the heat in. It also helps to protect against freezing and bursting in colder climates too- further saving you on expensive repairs and avoiding unnecessary waste.
Use Eco-Friendly Drain Cleaning Methods
While it can be tempting to simply throw chemicals at a clog or smelly drain, this comes with numerous disadvantages. Sure, it’s easy but the costs, both monetary and environmental aren’t worth it.
Firstly, these chemicals are terrible for the environment. They find their way into our rivers, lakes and groundwater, changing the chemistry and damaging ecosystems. Secondly, what they’re doing to the grease and grime, they’re also doing to your pipes.
Natural solutions like baking soda and vinegar or enzymatic cleaners are safer and just as simple to use. To make things even easier, use things like drain strainers to cut down on the amount of cleaning needed in the first place.
Work with Eco-Conscious Plumbers
Whether you’re calling for help after something has gone wrong or you’re looking for an eco-friendly upgrade, your choice of plumber matters. Firms that prioritize sustainable practices and environmentally-conscious solutions will keep your impact as small as possible.
Likewise, a plumber who places some importance on being as eco-friendly as possible will be able to help make recommendations for upgrades and new systems.
Keeping your environmental impact low needn’t come with a hit to your living standards. With a little clever plumbing you can save money and the environment while still enjoying the creature comforts we all take for granted.
