Top 5 Water-Saving Tips For Your Reno
Your home reno presents more than an opportunity to smarten up the place. By incorporating water-saving design principles and installing water-saving fittings and appliances, you can make every drop of water count.
And that’s not only good for your hip pocket, thanks to reduced water costs, it’s awesome for the planet.
Here are our top five water-saving tips for your reno:
- 1.Choose water-efficient taps
- 2.Opt for a water-efficient showerhead
- 3.Install a water-saving toilet flush system
- 4.Buy water-efficient appliances
- 5.Re-use greywater
Well, well… WELS!
Before we dive into our top five water-saving tips, it’s important to know that the Australian Government’s water labelling standards can help you compare the water efficiency of fixtures and appliances. It’s called the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme.
Look for the WELS water label rating or advice on the fixture or appliance you’re considering buying and use the information to help you make informed choices about its efficiency.
The star rating on the label lets you quickly compare the water efficiency of different products. The highest number of stars a product can receive for water efficiency is six.
The rate of water consumption information on the label lets you estimate how much water the product will use. For example, a tap could be measured at using 6.5 litres per minute, a dishwasher at 12.1 litres per wash for a 12-place setting, and a washing machine at 54 litres per wash for 5.5kg of clothes. You get the idea.
Okay, now let’s get back to those tips…
TIP 1: Choose water-efficient taps
Before you can choose a water-efficient tap, you need to know what one is.
Water-efficient taps – also called low-flow taps and flow-controlled taps – restrict the flow of water by mixing air into the water flow via an aerator. This kind of tap gives the feel and impression of full water flow even though the volume is greatly reduced.
Water-efficient taps can reduce water used from a standard 15-18 litres per minute to as little as 2 litres per minute. Who wouldn’t want that?
The good news is, it’s really easy to find bathroom tapware, kitchen tapware, and laundry tapware with a 5 Star or 6 Star WELS rating. And there’s no need to compromise on looks either.
TIP 2: Opt for a water-efficient showerhead
Water-efficient showerheads can save over 10,000 litres of water each year. They can save on energy use too because with less water being used less water needs to be heated. So it really is a win-win!
So what does water efficiency look like in a shower? Like taps, they use aerators and flow restrictors to control the water flow. A 3-Star WELS shower will use about 9 litres per minute and a 5-Star WELS shower slashes that to about 6 litres per minute.
The next most important question is, what does a water-efficient shower feel like? There’s no need to worry, you won’t be left standing under a trickle all in a lather with nowhere to flow (see what we did there ?). A water-efficient showerhead must pass tests for spray force and coverage. It means, that even with the water efficiency, showering will still be a pleasure.
You might be surprised to learn that you can even get water-efficient rain showers. The 4-Star WELS Luna Overhead Shower in brushed brass is one of our favourites.
TIP 3: Install a water-saving toilet flush system
One of the largest uses of water in a home is the toilet flush. Older toilets use an insane amount, and some of the not-so-old ones do too.
Dual-flush toilets were introduced in the 1980s and are now mandatory for all new builds. They can save an incredible 35,000 litres of water a year for a family of four! Old-style single-flush toilets use as much as 12 litres per flush. A typical new toilet on a half-flush only uses 3 litres, and on a full flush, it’s 4.5 litres.
It’s common to find 4-Star WELS and 5-Star WELS toilets today. Whether you’re after something fancy or functional, it’s reasonably easy to tick the box on water efficiency. A favourite of ours, if you’re looking for a 5-star option, is the Caroma toilet with an integrated handbasin.
But if you’re looking to step away from tradition and step up to something more modern, then the newer rimless toilet technology could be for you. It just so happens, their clever flushing technology means they’re great at saving water too. The rimless toilets in our range are all 4-Star WELS rated.
TIP 4: Buy water-efficient appliances
Did you know that front-loading washing machines can use up to 50% less water than top loaders? And it doesn’t mean you need to compromise on wash quality. A little bit of research before you buy could pay off big time when it comes to washing machine water efficiency.
For example, choosing an 8kg load capacity washing machine with a 5-Star rating that uses 55 litres per load instead of a 3-Star machine using 115 litres per load could save a family as much as 18 kilolitres each year.
The same goes for dishwashers. Do your research and don’t just choose a machine that suits the look of your kitchen. Think water saving. For a dishwasher that holds 14 place settings, choosing a 6-Star machine that uses 9.5 litres per wash instead of a 3-Star machine using 17 litres per wash could save a family as much as 3.5 kilolitres each year.
TIP 5: Re-use greywater
Water from your laundry or bathroom can be used to keep your garden green. Doing this can be as simple as using a bucket to collect the water and then taking it outside to water the garden after you’ve finished all the hard work inside.
Treated grey water can be used to flush toilets, wash clothes and water the garden, although different local councils have different rules about this so be sure to check the rules first. Typically it requires the installation of an EPA-approved permanent greywater treatment recycling system, and if you do it, you can save crazy amounts of water each year.
Our final tip is to get advice. With so much information available about water ratings and flow rates you can be left feeling like you’re drowning in it. At Tradelink, we’re your life ring. You can rely on us to guide you to the best choices to suit your style and budget now and save you water and money in the long run.