5 Steps To Achieving An Eco-Friendly Bathroom

Homeowners are significant partners when helping conserve the environment. We can give back to nature by embracing better, energy-efficient alternatives around the home. The bathroom is one of the most significant rooms because it uses water, electricity and other accessories that can affect the environment. These ideas will help you achieve an eco-friendly bathroom.

 Tips For Achieving An Eco-Friendly Bathroom

1. Biodegradable cleaning products

The bathroom should always be clean, tidy and smell good. However, some of the common cleaning products on the market contain harmful chemicals and are not suitable for your health and your surroundings. Common environmentally friendly products such as vinegar and bicarbonate soda can be very effective cleaning agents. You can also look for the environmentally friendly logo on cleaning products.

2. Use waste-efficient toilets

Waste disposal uses a huge amount of water every year. The bathroom is one of the leading water consumers, followed by the kitchen. The traditional toilet model can use up to 15-18 litres of water for a single flush. On the other hand, more modern models can use as little as 3 litres of water per flush. Therefore, replacing your bathroom sets with the higher performance models can help you pay less for your water & energy bills.

3. Use water-efficient devices

Plenty of water is wasted in the bathroom as you take a shower, flush the toilet, and clean. Many people enjoy a long, warm shower from an overhead shower. You can conserve water by installing an energy-efficient shower head that releases water slowly and steadily.

You can also invest in energy-efficient dishwashers and washing machines. Some recent models save water and electricity consumption and come at a fair price. The more energy-efficient the device, the more expensive it can be, but you would see this cost saved over time due to the annual energy savings. This is especially prudent with the current energy crisis in Australia.

4. Fix leaks and drips

Household leaks waste billions of litres of water annually. Get your plumber to check your water fixtures and connections if you think you have a leak, and repair them immediately. Replace old leaky pipes and faucets with high-quality options that will serve your home for a long time.

5. Use LEDs and natural light options

Conventional light bulbs consume more energy than LEDs. LEDs provide better light and serve you for a long time than the traditional lighting options. LEDs operate on low voltages and perform well in all temperatures. You can also improve your bathroom’s lighting by using skylights. 

Natural light helps to reduce mildew and mould from growing in the bathroom. You can also have a heating solution and better ventilation with a professionally-installed skylight. A bathroom skylight and LEDs are practical upgrades to help you save energy and money and make the world a better place for everyone. 

6. Environ-Fit Take Away

Investing in an eco-friendly bathroom is affordable and rewarding. You do not have to go without the pleasures of a warm shower and other bathroom comforts. Significantly, everyone can embrace sustainable bathroom upgrades by using the tips and ideas discussed above. Plan B Plumbing can assist with your environmentally friendly bathroom & home needs. Contact Plan B today for more information.

5 Reasons Why Your Hot Water Bill Is So High

Water is a significant utility in the home. Receiving a high water bill may indicate a change in consumption. When your water bill is higher than normal, it’s critical to track down the cause and address it as soon as possible. Here are the common reasons why your water bill may be high and some tips to help lower it.

Common Causes of High Water Bill

  • A leaky toilet: The toilet uses a lot of water in a day (up to 20 litres per flush). It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a small leak in your toilet wastes water and can lead to a large increase in your water bill.
  • A dripping faucet:  A tap that won’t stop leaking no matter how tight you close can waste up to 3 litres per day, or 120 litres per month.
  • Watering the lawn: How often do you set the sprinkler turning on the lawn? Watering the new plants in your yard may be responsible for the high water bills in your home. It’s also worth considering changing the sprinkler cycles depending on the season – so in winter you may have it turned off, but in summer you would run it at night to avoid evaporation. Check with your plumber or gardener to ensure that your sprinklers are running efficiently.
  • Seasonal changes: Your water consumption patterns can change in summer because of more regular showers or laundry, you may need to fill up your pool, or you may need to water your lawn more frequently.
  • A broken water pipe/leak: An underground water leakage can creep up on you. Check for a puddle or lush green patch in the backyard because it indicates an underground leak in your pipes.
  • Old water fixtures: Outdated water fixtures such as faucets, showerheads, toilets and other water equipment are inefficient because they can break or leak unexpectedly.

 

How To Control Your Water Bill

  1. Fix leaky faucets: Leaking faucets can lose gallons of water in a day and millions by the end month. Therefore, call a plumber to repair leaking faucets and save you the waste. Alternatively, get your repair kit and do it yourself.
  2. Run full loads: It is recommended to run full loads on your washing machine because small, frequent washings consume a lot of water. Additionally, washing a few clothes runs your machine down and uses a few more units of electricity.
  3. Invest in water-efficient showers: Talk to your plumber for better shower options that warm water instantly and tankless water solutions in the home. Alternatively, you can limit your shower period to last for a few minutes. Low-flow showerhead allows just-enough water to flow in the shower, saving you from wastage.
  4. Adjust water temperatures away from the sinks: It may be better to heat or cool water in a different place and not directly from the faucet.
  5. Collect rainwater: Store water in tanks during the rainy season and save your meter from reading for a month or two.  You can use the rainwater to water the lawn and for other domestic uses.
  6. Install water-efficient toilets: Replace old toilets with more efficient ones. Water-efficient toilets use less water per flush and can help you slash your bills.