Owning an efficient bathroom
An efficient bathroom is something that all owners, both business and home, want as they can save money and preserve water. We are fortunate to be in a position where we can control the amount of water that is being used daily in the bathroom. Here are some ways through which you can make your bathroom work more productively for you, your family or your employers.
Efficient Sink
You can determine the rate at which a tap is flowing by putting an 8-cup measuring cup in your sink and open the tap at its full power. You will gain more if you replace it with an aerated tap in a case where the cup is filled in less than 15 seconds. The normal flow rate for a bathroom tap is ranges between 2 and 5.5 litres per minute.
If you have replaced your tap, you should use your new one more efficiently. For example, when you are shaving, don’t leave the tap open – plug the sink and rinse the razor in the tank of water. Or turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth or while lathering the soap when you wash your hands.
You should also mind all leaky taps. Even a drip a second can waste around 22 litres of water a day. If you notice a leak, you should repair it as quickly as possible and if you are not able to do it yourself, call a plumber.
Efficient Shower and Tub
Placing a 3-litre bucket below the stream of water and timing it for about 20 seconds, will help you measure the rate at which a showerhead flows. You should replace the showerhead with a model from the low-flow type as you should keep the rate under 10 litres per minute – that is in the case when the bucket is filled completely in the given 20 seconds. The low-flow showerhead models are one of the most important components in every efficient bathroom.
And as in the case of the sink, we should learn to use the new equipment more efficiently. Something you might want to consider trying is cutting your daily showers down to five minutes or less. Cutting your shower with just two minutes will save about 600 litres of water per month. If you want to preserve even more water, try shutting it off while lathering your hair or scrubbing your body.
If you prefer taking a bath to a shower, you can use your bath more productively if you plug the tub before turning the water on. Also, instead of having the water pour down the drain while you are regulating the desired temperature, do this while the tub is filling. Use less water by only filling your bath halfway.
Efficient Toilet
If the flapper that is parting the tank from the bowl isn’t sealed accordingly, you might get yourself a toilet leak. These leaks may cause the so called “phantom flushes” – that is a situation in which the toilet is running for a brief moment for no known reason. Those leaks could also be silent. If you want to examine if there is a leak in your toilet, you should place some food colouring in the tank. If you see the colour seeping into the bowl within around 15 minutes, you should consider fixing the leak by changing the flapper.
Toilets that were installed before 1992 usually are older models that are using 13 or more litres of water for one flush. You are in the position of conserve more if you decide to replace your old toilet with a new, low-flow one as they are using about 6 litres per flush. If you choose a dual-flush toilet, you will be able to save more as they offer the option of flushing away liquid water with less than 3 litres. The bathrooms with the most productivity have this type of toilet installed.
If you decide to make no changes in your toilet or flappers, you should try to use your current one more productively. You must not use your toilet as a garbage can, throw away your tissues in the trash; you can also teach the kids that saving water is important so they don’t need to flush more than once.
You have learnt all the things you could do in order to have more efficient bathroom. Use this knowledge for good, share it with your family or your employees. If you want your bathroom to save water, you must be sure that everyone is engaged in your efficiency plan.
