The pace of technological developments seems to increase every year, and this is just as true in the world of plumbing technology. Recent advances have the potential to keep our homes and businesses more sanitary and reduce our impact on the environment, alongside making our kitchens and bathrooms much more comfortable. Advances include touch-free automatic taps and toilet flushes, energy-efficient electrical fixtures, smart irrigation systems and grey water pump systems, all of which can deliver savings, hygiene and sustainability improvements.
Water usage reduction
The latest technologies in dishwashers and washing machines allow the machines to reuse rinse water later in the cycle. This function can reduce annual water usage by over 3,000 litres – not only could this help alleviate the environmental impact of these appliances but also could cut your water bill.
Seeking a device with this functionality is a better idea than using half-load programmes – while these use less water than the normal cycle, they won’t cut your water usage in half. Rather, to make a real difference to your bank account and to the environment, wait until you have a full load and use the water-saving function.
Grey water pump systems
Working on a similar operating principle to the water usage reduction function described above, grey water pump systems can provide further savings in the form of both money and water. Grey water pump systems capture and store waste water from sources in the home such as sinks, baths, dishwashers and showers. They then pump this ‘grey’ water back into your toilet, washing machine and external taps for re-use in suitable applications.
While most commonly found in commercial settings with high volumes of water being used, such as hotels and universities, there is no reason why homeowners should not also benefit from this technology. Some grey water systems can deliver decreases in water consumption of up to 50 per cent, providing potential savings too large to be ignored.
Touch-free toilet facilities
Mainly intended to improve hygiene, but additionally providing a more comfortable bathroom experience, toilets, sinks and soap dispensers featuring infrared sensors allow users to have no physical hand-to-surface contact with bathroom facilities. The latest touch-free toilets not only flush with the wave of a hand but can also lower and raise their seats and lids with nothing more than a gesture on your part.
The most sensible applications for such devices are in areas with high volumes of traffic, such as commercial settings or public buildings; however, homeowners seeking increased comfort and feeling particularly committed to the highest sanitary conditions also stand to benefit.
Water-saving showers and taps
When you have installed a grey water system and have the latest water-usage reducing appliances, what other advances has the world of plumbing got to offer?
The most modern water outlet technologies work to reduce water usage without compromising an inch on luxury. Showers can constitute one of the largest sources of water use and wastage; however, low-flow shower heads can drastically cut the volume of water used per minute, providing homeowners with the ability to save money on utility bills. Those who really enjoy showers could even shower for longer with no additional effect on their bills or the environment.
Shop our grey water systems today and join the technological advances of the plumbing world.
