Posts tagged as: DIY

Weekend Eco Warrior – Is Your Bathroom Costing you Money?

By Ash Walsh in Living on 10 June 2011

Are you a weekend eco warrior? Save yourself some money this long weekend!Every day without a second thought each and every one of us turns on a tap, fills up a glass or washes our hands. But what happens in that split second that we get distracted, turn away or forget the tap is on? Here we are, literally washing our most precious resource down the drain, not only hurting the environment but our back pocket as well. A running tap uses sixteen litres every minute it is left on and a standard shower head can use up to 50 litres more every shower than a water efficient shower head. Don’t stress at this revelation, there are a number of inexpensive products and DIY alternatives that can quickly rectify our moments of neglect. Here are 3 easy DIY tips that are a perfect way to save money and water in the home:

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10
JUN
2011

Reading your water meter

By Luke Gibbons in Living, Videos on 18 May 2011

water_meter2Previously here on the ripple effect, we have looked at how to fix a dripping tap, but what do you do if the leak isn’t at the tap, but somewhere in the pipework on the property?  How would you even know there was a leak? Thankfully the trusty water meter is useful for more than just calculating the cost of your water usage.  You can use your water meter to monitor your own water consumption and even to detect some of those hidden leaks on your property. To see if water is being lost somewhere on your property, simply check the water meter at night, just before you go to bed, after the last person has gone to the loo.  Then check the meter again in the morning before any water is used.  If the reading has changed over night, then you probably have a leak, so it’s a good idea to call a plumber. To track your household water consumption, simply check your water meter daily or weekly at a regular time.  As you go, compare to past readings to see how you’re doing.  To help you record your readings, you can download this handy water meter reading guide. …

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18
MAY
2011

Fixing a dripping tap

By Luke Gibbons in Living, Videos on 28 April 2011

Changing-a-tap-washerOn the ripple effect blog, as well as posting inspirational stories, we also want to give you some practical advice including DIY tips for around the home and garden to help you save water, energy & money. So what better place to begin than where the problem is obvious, with the dripping tap. It can be easy to leave a dripping tap running because it doesn’t look like we’re wasting much water. So it might come as a shock when you hear that a dripping tap can use up to 18,000 litres of water per year. I know that surprised me, especially when I realised it was enough water to fill a small swimming pool. The good news is that for many dripping taps, the solution is as simple as replacing an old tap washer, which is a simple DIY task, but if you aren’t feeling too confident you can always contact your local plumber. Here is a step by step guide (or skip down and watch the video below) on how to replace a tap washer: Turn off the water at the mains and drain any excess water from the nearest tap which is most likely to be in the garden …

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28
APR
2011