At Plumbing Patrol we are committed to caring for our environment whilst also providing our customers cost effective solutions to efficiently save on water and energy bills.

 

Check for leaks and fix them right away - a leaking toilet can waste up to 95,000 litres of water a year! It's definitely worth replacing an old water-guzzling showerhead with a water saving model. They're inexpensive, there's a huge range available, and they will save the average household around $100 in water and energy each year. You can also add flow regulators or aerators to make taps more efficient.

Replacing a toilet is more expensive, but worth it if you have an inefficient model, particularly if it's single flush. Save at least 15,000 litres of water a year by choosing an efficient 4-star model; there are many stylish options to choose from.

Efficient showers. To find out how greedy your shower is do the 'bucket test'. Turn your shower on at full pressure. If you can almost fill a 10-litre bucket in less than a minute, your showerhead uses too much water and is worth upgrading to a 3-star model. A high star rating is a guarantee of water savings and a good shower.

Reduce water use. Focus especially on the shower and toilet. As far as hot water goes, showers use around 60-70% of hot water in most homes, and clothes and dishwashers use a lot of the rest. Locate HWS close to hot water taps. A lot of hot water is wasted in long pipes. Where possible it's best to group hot water taps close together and locate the HWS nearby.

 

Insulate hot water pipes. All hot water pipes should be insulated to at least R1 - check with your plumber. The green pipe cover many plumbers use is not adequate.

Go for the highest efficiency rating. Gas water heaters have a star rating label, so if choosing gas go for the highest rating. Solar and heat pumps are eligible for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - choose one with the highest number of RECs. 

 

It's often the kitchen that people fall in love with, and that's important if you're thinking about resale value. First, consider what's worth reusing in your old kitchen.

Locate dishwashers near sinks to allow easy loading. This also concentrates your plumbing in one space and saves money.

 

Choose energy and water saving appliances. Choose white goods with the best star rating available for the size you need. Gas cooktops produce less greenhouse gas emissions than electric cooktops (unless you use electricity from a renewable source). The fridge usually uses more electricity in a year than any other appliance, so when replacing your fridge choose one with a high energy star rating.

Make sure cabinets allow an air gap all around the fridge of at least 50 mm for good ventilation.