Though ‘smart home’ tech gadgets, appliances and monitors are not a new concept in today’s tech-savvy world, most homeowners look beyond water efficient technology in favour of more common home tech items designed to assist with heating, cooling and lighting.
Not only does installing smart technology in your home reduce the costs of utilities, but it can also prevent unwanted damage to your home and help do the right thing for the environment.
Household Water Waste: Quick Facts
As of 2016, average water consumption in Australia was approximately 340 litres per person, or about 900 litres per household. In terms of the most common forms of water waste, flushing toilets, taking long showers, watering outdoors and washing dishes and clothes have the highest impact.
In terms of water usage and costs for you and your family, a 10-minute shower with a normal shower head costs roughly $.20 and uses about 190 litres of water, while the same shower with a water-saving shower head costs about $.08 and uses only 75 litres. Similarly, a toilet installed with a low-flow system uses about 6 litres of water compared to the average of 11 litres, while water-friendly Energy Star dishwashers save roughly 38 litres of water and $.04 per load.
Lastly, leaky pipes and fittings are one of the most common offenders of water waste in the home, and as a top Gold Coast preventative plumbing maintenance service provider, an issue we hate to see go unnoticed. Beyond the cost of repairs and wasted water to worry about, water damage from leaky plumbing is 7x more likely than a fire, so paying a little extra to ensure your home is properly inspected and prepped could just make your day – or year – sometime in the future.
Top Water-Efficient Home Technology Solutions
Home Water Leaks
In regards to undetected water leakages around your home, smart home leak detectors like Aquatrip, SmartThings, Fibaro, Leak Defense System, Wally, Insteon and others are some of the best solutions on the market. Connected through an app on your smart phone, these home tech items monitor moisture around your pipes and other home fittings to detect possible leaks or maintenance issues, and alert you automatically if and when there is an issue detected.
Smart-Enabled Sprinkler Systems
Instead of needlessly watering your lawn before a surprise rainstorm or holding out for that weekend sprinkle that never comes, installing a smart tech sprinkler system in your yard, such as the GreenIQ Smart Garden, can save you tons of wasted money and water throughout the year. Set watering schedules based on current and future local weather forecasts, control it through your smartphone or tablet, and rest easy knowing your sprinkler is working with you, not against you.
Shower Timers
An eco-friendly water activated shower timer designed to slowly decrease water waste while showering, Waterpebble aims to alert you of your water usage through a trigger of green, yellow and red lights. While not necessarily a direct way to prevent water waste or lower costs, this simple idea is an excellent reminder of your personal water use and how small acts can help.
Energy-Efficient Washers
By washing your clothes in cold water, as well as switching to energy-saving washing appliances, you use approximately 25% less electricity and 50% less water than normal, often leading to average annual savings of over $100.
High-Efficiency Faucet Aerators
Installing shower heads and faucets with high-efficiency aerators could cut your water consumption by as much as half, with the added bonus of no loss in water pressure. Smart tech water meters track not only your water usage, but where you’re using that water, and help you save money through ideal efficiency and conscious usage.
Smart Toilets
Assisting in water savings and less toilet paper waste, WaterSense labeled toilets can reduce average water use by 20 to 60% and save roughly 49,000 litres of water per year. Check the latest water-saving toilet recommendations and save money – and resources – over time.
Water Reuse Systems
One of the smartest – and most ignored – ways to use less water is to reuse the water we already have! Smart-tech systems like RainHarvest Systems utilise manual or automatic irrigation systems, while Nexus eWater Systems reuse grey water drained from the shower and sink for irrigation purposes and flushing.
A little goes a long way in terms of water savings, and we hope you find these tips useful when looking at smart ways to upgrade your home, and simultaneously enjoy cost savings and added environmental responsibility. Get in touch for all your Gold Coast plumbing services and call us at 1300 025 116 for more information.
