Water saving tips for times of drought

Despite the wet weather we’ve had recently, much of the UK is currently in the midst of a drought.  Even with recent rainfall, reservoir levels still remain low.  Here are some water saving tips, therefore, to help you to do your bit in conserving this precious resource:

Make your home leak-free

It may sound obvious, but any leaks in your home are wasting water.  If you discover a leak, either through taking meter readings, listening for hissing sounds, being vigilant towards damp patches or checking for extra-green areas within your lawn, ask your plumber to fix them as soon as possible.  Not only will this help the environment, but also your wallet, as it will save on water bills.

Tap into water saving

Dripping taps are one of the biggest water-wasters within the home.  A tap that drips at a rate of one drop per second wastes up to 2,700 gallons of water per year!  Therefore, ask your plumber to fix any dripping taps by replacing the washers.  Plumbers can also fit tap inserts and aerators which introduce air into the water flow of the tap to maintain pressure but use less water.

Shower-savvy

Just like the tap aerators, water-saving shower heads can be fitted to your existing shower to cut the water use by up to 60 per cent, but not affect its efficiency.   They work in exactly the same way as the tap inserts by mixing air into the water, but remember to check with your plumber as to whether your shower and boiler are suitable to have one fitted.

Toilet Cistern Devices

Using 24% of a household’s water consumption, a flushing toilet uses a lot of water!  If you do not have a modern dual-flush toilet, either think about replacing the whole cistern or ask your plumber about fitting a Save-a-flush or a Hippo device to your toilet to save between 1 – 2.5 litres per flush.  Furthermore, if your toilet flush handle is permanently in the flush position, the water will constantly run, so ask your plumber to replace or adjust it.

Common causes of Low Water Pressure and how to fix them

If your household suffers from the annoying problem of low water pressure, you don’t have to live with it. Yes, sometimes the location of your property will affect the water pressure (such as if your house is located on top of a hill – the pressure in this instance is likely to be less than the properties at the bottom of the hill receive), but here are some ways that common water pressure problems can be fixed:

Pipe corrosion

Corrosion of pipes is a big problem when it comes to low water pressure. Corrosion restricts the water flow, and therefore many households are replacing their old pipe work with new MDPE pipes.

Stop taps

Check that any stop taps, both inside the home and ones shared with neighbours outside the home aren’t partially closed. By gently opening the stop tap, the water pressure should increase, but remember that stop taps should not be fully opened – they should always be turned a quarter of the way back to stop them from seizing up – ask your plumber if you’re unsure.

Heating appliances and showers

The layout of your showers and heating appliances within the home can affect the water pressure, which is why it’s always wise to have a professional plumber fit them. With old showers, try cleaning the lime scale off of shower heads regularly, as a build up of lime scale can affect the flow. New showers, however, often need a minimum level of flow to work effectively, or need to be plumbed into the mains rather than a tank, so check with your professional plumber whether your plumbing system is suitable to support a new shower.