It’s well documented that a shower uses a lot less water than a bath, which helps to keep the cost of your water bills down. However, do you realise just how eco-friendly a shower is?
When your water use reduces less power is needed to pump the water into your home, which also helps reduce your electric bill. As homes demand less electricity power stations can reduce the amount they produce, which results in them using smaller amounts of the planets resources.
We’re all aware of how important an issue the planet’s natural resources are, and if you do not already have a shower, you should seriously consider having one installed.
Whether you have your shower installed over your bath and use a curtain or screen, or have a dedicated shower enclosure installed is down to personal preference and the amount of space you have in your bathroom. If you do have the room, shower enclosures are a great option, you can just walk in and out without worrying about climbing over the raised side of a bath when you’re wet. Baths can get a bit slippery in this situation.
A shower door or shower enclosure comes in various different shapes and sizes, so there is usually somewhere to fit a shower in most bathrooms. It’s relatively easy to turn the corner of a bathroom into a very nice shower, or you could have your bath removed and opt for a much larger enclosure.
There are many other ways you can make you home more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run. Installing electronic timers on your heating system, so the system isn’t on when it’s not needed, can save you quite a bit on your utility bills. The timers are cheap to buy and easy to install, and you’ll quickly start to get a return on your investment.
You can also try lowering the temperature by just 2 degrees. No one will notice such a small difference, except you when you get your heating bill.
You can help to manage the heat in your home by having it properly insulated. So much heat is lost through the roof and walls that it really pushes up your utility bills. Insulating your home will mean you can set your heating system timer to turn your heating on for even shorter periods of time, as your home will retain its heat much better.
Check the jacket on your hot water tank. They deteriorate over time, and if it’s more than 10 years old it probably needs replacing. They are reasonably priced and will save you quite a bit of money by keeping your hot water at the required temperature for longer periods.
Windows and doors should have gaps filled to stop drafts. If they are old, you might want to consider replacing them with double glazed units. The list of home improvements that make your home more environmentally friendly just goes on and on, there are so many different things you can do.
The Irish Government considers environmentally friendly changes to be so important they offer grants towards the cost of some energy saving methods.
If you rent out or are selling a property in Ireland, legally you have to obtain a Building Energy Rating Certificate. This involves a trained inspector visiting your property and giving it a rating. However, they now go a step further, the certificate will also tell you what other eco-friendly home improvements you could make.
For this reason it has become popular for occupiers to arrange for a certificate for their own use, even when they have no intention of moving out. The cost of a certificate is minimal and it can be a great way to get good solid advice from someone who understands exactly how to make your home as eco-friendly as possible.
If your home is inspected and given a bad rating, you can carry out some of the improvements they advise and ask them to make a return visit to upgrade the rating.
Another way to save energy is by updating you appliances. Once dishwashers are past about four years old, they will use 10 gallons of water each wash cycle. A new dishwasher will use seven. If you use your dishwasher once a day it adds up to 21 gallons of water saved every week. Just think how much that will reduce you water bill over a year.
Washing machines are similar, as are kettles and all other electrical items in your kitchen. The older they get the less energy efficient they become.
If you have an open fire only 35% of the heat goes into your home, the rest goes up the chimney. Swap it for a closed log burning fire and the figures reverse. Now you will get 65% of the heat going into your home, and this style of fire can look just as attractive and be safer than an open fire.
Some older houses have unused fireplaces in bedrooms, which can draw a lot of heat from your home. Although they can be a very nice feature, they need to be blocked off to stop the heat escaping.
Making your home eco-friendly really depends on how much time, effort, and money you want to invest. Installing items like solar panels can be a real energy saver, but need some investment to start with. Most things you do will save you money in the long run, some much quicker than others. For example, something as simple as changing all your light bulbs to LED is not expensive, but will cut your lighting cost by up to 80% immediately.
At Lupo, we may not be able to help you with all of these things, but we are experts when it comes to anything to do with showers, heating, plumbing, and bathrooms. Give us a call on 01 456 9930 or email info@lupobathrooms.ie for all the help you need with these.
When you’re decorating your bathroom it can be the little things that might seem insignificant now that can finish the room off to the standard you want. A new bathroom suite or shower cubicle might look great, but the wrong bathroom taps can spoil the whole look.
For your heating system to be effective and energy efficient you need to have the right radiators and radiators valves for each room. There is a large selection of radiator shapes and sizes available, so how do you know which ones are best for your home? There are certain things to consider, and then hopefully your home will always be warm without the heating cost being astronomical.
