A Quick Guide to Reducing Water and Energy Bills
We’re all taught from an incredibly young age that saving water is essential for the health of our planet. And most of us don’t care. But when it comes to our water bills, yes, we do care.
As soon as we reach the “bill paying” age, we find that we are much more cautious when it comes to water, and other utilities. However, many of us don’t really know how to save water. I mean, of course, we have the common sense – “turn off the tap” – approach, but can that really do?
In todays world, saving water is all the more difficult. We simply need more water than we did 200 years ago. Back then, nobody really showered often – nobody could afford to. Handwashing wasn’t really a thing unless you swam in the excrement of cows, pigs and sheep on a country farm, and most people cleaned themselves in rivers and lakes.
But the point stands – in todays world, where many of us are financially strained (yet still fortunate enough to live in first world countries) we endeavour to save as much water as we possibly can. Sometimes this works, although sometimes it goes a little bit wobbly.
This article covers seven brilliant ways that you can save water in the bathroom – perfect for anybody struggling with water and other utility bills, or if you’re just some green-headed campaigner who finds recycling exciting.
Let us begin!
The Obvious First Tip
We’ve called this the obvious one because it doesn’t get much simpler than this. When you’re brushing your teeth, don’t leave the tap running. Fill your bath less. Shower for less time.
This ‘trick’ is simply just about not using as much water. I mean, it’s obvious, but so many people forget it. Seriously – over 70% of interviewees in one study stated that they simply leave the tap running when brushing teeth for “convenience”. Save money!
By simply switching your taps to the “off” position, you can easily save yourself thousands of dollars on your irritatingly costly water bills over your long lifetime.
The Shower-head trick
This trick isn’t really a trick – it’s sort of an add-on to your daily life that will cost you a few dollars initially, but will save you a hundred or more dollars in the long run. When you shower, many, many, many gallons of water fall on your head. This is enjoyable, and we understand that.
However, by purchasing a water-saving shower head, you’ll have less water fall on your head, but it’ll still feel like your regular shower, only more celestial and gentler. These shower heads add more ‘air’ into the water that falls upon you, making for a pleasanter shower.
Drippy Toilets
What? How can your toilet come on this list? Well, if you think about it, depending on who you live with and what you (or they) eat every day, this could just about be the main source of water usage in your home.
Whilst, yes, it is possible to buy water-saving toilets, not everybody can afford one.
However, everybody can afford to inspect the rear end of their toilet, and check for any leaks. If your toilet is leaking, even if it’s not in operation, it’s still going to cost you money on your water bill.
And if you let this run for too long, that’s a big whammer, and it’ll hurt your pocket. Inspect your toilet!
Leaks, Leaks and more Leaks
Do not underestimate the power of the human eye. If you notice that your tap is dripping, check it immediately, and if necessary, call up a plumber to inspect it for free.
If you’re struggling with your water bills, always be on the lookout for leaks. Make it a daily check, if you’re somebody who likes routine. Take a quick stroll around your home and keep an eye out for any leaks in any pipes, taps, or toilets. This can save you a lot of money provided you replace faulty plumbing pieces in good time.
Your Toilet is not a Bin
Have you noticed that toilets come up a lot on this guide? That’s because toilets are so often underestimated for their ability to tick up the dollars on your annoying utility bills.
If you’re somebody who regularly throws rubbish into the toilet over throwing it into a bin, simply because it’s “more convenient”, then you’re just paying extra for nothing.
Why would you pay more to use your toilet as a bin, when you can just use a bin as a bin?
Don’t waste your water, and seriously, don’t waste your money – stop using your toilet as a rubbish bin!
Shorten Your Showers
This trick is paramount for saving water. Do you seriously need to be taking hour long showers each and every day? I mean, of course, if you can afford to do so, fine, you may do as you please.
However, consider that, if you are in a tricky financial situation, a long shower – however de-stressing it may feel – can actually increase your tricky situation, and increase that stress in the long run. You could always put the time you spend showering into working, so that you can afford longer showers in the future!
This is a great way to save water, and also become much more productive whilst you’re at it!
Install an inexpensive aerater to faucets
This trick is absolutely fantastic, and it won’t set you back more than $10, if you look on Amazon. These simple tap attachments help limit the volume of water spurting out of your tap, and also reduce the force exerted on your hands as you wash them, allowing for much more pleasant handwashing experiences.
If you find a correct one, you’ll even find that it’s possible to enjoy washing your hands as it feels like a mini-jacuzzi.
