How to be more water-efficient

At The Shower Doctor, we understand that life isn't always easy when it comes to managing your household finances.

Very rarely is the sight of a bill lying on the doormat a welcome sight when you get home after working all day - and opening it to find out how much you owe can often be a gut-wrenching experience.

While there's little we can do to affect what you owe the gas or electric company, we're probably in a better position to advise on what actions you can take to lower your water consumption. If you're on a water meter, this could help you make significant savings - perhaps even enough to pay for that Triton Aspirante 9.5kW Brushed Steel Electric Shower you've always wanted!

If that's the kind of thing that interests you, then read on for some handy tips on how you can become more water-savvy.

Water-efficient showerheads

When it comes to looking at what you can improve in your bathroom to lower your bills, establishing whether or not your current showerhead is water-efficient is a good place to start.

We have a wide range of options for you to choose from, with power and mixer showers that have a high flow rate saving the most water.

However, make sure you don't end up attaching low-flow showerheads to an electric unit as this can potentially damage it.

There's an easy way to check if such a device will make a positive impact on your water consumption - put a two-litre container underneath the shower and time how long it takes to fill it. If it takes less than 12 seconds, then it could well be worth investing.

Shorter showers are best

This is an obvious point to make, but how long should you be aiming to occupy the shower for to help reduce the amount of water you are using while still giving yourself enough time to wash yourself?

According to consumer group Which?, you should try to spend no longer than five minutes with the water running if you can help it. Alternatively, you could also choose to invest in a special water-saving timer that measures the amount you are using and alerts you after 35 litres have gone down the plughole.

Similarly, if you want to lower your bills, then leaving the shower running unnecessarily is a bad idea. It's probably something we're all guilty of - and those few minutes of it turned on while you go back into the bedroom to undress or use the toilet beforehand quickly add up!

If you do end up having to run it for a few moments as it warms up, why not put that water to good use? One handy tip is to collect it with a bucket as it runs out and use it to water plants or fill the kettle up with instead.

Don't let leaks go unrepaired

While it may just seem like a few odd drops that are escaping from a pipe when you turn the shower or the sink taps on, they all count over time - especially when such faults go unrepaired for months or even years!

Sometimes, fixing them can be a simple case of tightening things up with a wrench, while other times it could be a case of applying sealant to wherever the leak is dripping from. Either way, these small actions could go a significant way towards making long-term savings.

If the repairs require more effort - and money - it could still be worth forking out when considering the length of time you're likely to put up with them if they are indeed left untreated.

Shower or bath?

It's an age-old question that provides different answers depending on who is being asked - however, when it comes to which is more water-efficient it almost entirely depends on the user rather than method.

According to Waterwise, the average eight-minute shower uses 62 litres of water, compared with the average bath, which used 80 litres. However, some power showers can end up using 136 litres in the same time period.

However, shorter showers - like the five-minute method we mentioned earlier - are capable of only consuming 32 litres of water, so the potential for real savings here are quite possible.

The rest of the bathroom

Of course, away from the bath and the shower, the sink and toilet can also significantly contribute to your overall water bill.

For the latter, try to remember to turn the taps on when brushing your teeth or shaving - you only actually need the water for a short amount of time for both of these tasks so it's only out of laziness that we usually keep the water running during this time.

As far as the toilet is concerned, you should never use it purely to dispose of  inorganic waste. If you don't have a bin for all the tissues and other rubbish you might be tempted to flush, then it could be time to get one.

With an increasing emphasis on the importance of households becoming more eco-friendly, we can expect to see more water-efficient fittings, showers and bathroom appliances continue to be introduced to the market, making it even easier to achieve savings over the coming years!

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