Eco-Friendly Plumbing

1. Rainwater Tanks

There hasn’t been much rain this summer but much of what has fallen will probably have drained away into the surface water drains on your property. Alternatively, you could install a rainwater tank which catches the water from your roof and harvests it via a downpipe. The water you collect can be used to water the garden and clean floors, or your vehicle.

This is a simple installation that makes the most of the rain we get.

2. Water Saving Taps

Traditional taps use around 15 litres of water each minute. Water saving tap replacements are now widely available which provide excellent examples of eco-friendly plumbing:

• Tap Aerators. Also known as flow regulators, an aerator comes as an attachment that fits on the end of a tap or can be inserted in the spout. They mix air with water in order to deliver less water without dropping the pressure.
• Sensor Activated Taps. This faucet ensures that taps only dispense water when you’re actively using them. The tap is fitted with electronic sensors that are activated when hands are place underneath.

3. Low Flow Showers

One of the easiest ways to reduce your water usage is to spend less time in the shower. If, however, this is a step too far, you’ll be pleased to hear that you can now choose showers that allow you to continue enjoying your shower time. Low flow showers restrict the volume of water that is able to flow through them. This can easily halve the amount of water you use.

This is achieved by fixing aerating or non-aerating shower heads. In the first instance air is mixed with water to reduce the flow. With non-aerating shower heads the holes are very small, so water is restricted but the pressure is high.

4. Eco-Friendly Toilet

The Saniflo toilet uses macerating technology which breaks down solid waste instead to flushing it straight into the waste pipe. This makes the discharge easier to process whilst using much less water. Additionally, waste is stored in a toilet tank and only when it reaches a certain volume will it be pumped into the sewage system.

5. Solar Powered Hot Water

Using solar panels to heat your water is an impressively simple example of eco-friendly plumbing which could save you a significant amount on your energy bills. Solar panels are fixed to your roof, and they produce energy when sunlight hits them. This natural energy is used to charge the system that heats your water.