Make sure your home is as water efficient as it can be

Water is a valuable resource that we use in our lives each day. As a home owner or renter, you can make active choices to ensure you are using water wisely. There are things you can do around your home to preserve this precious resource, like taking advantage of water efficient appliances and fixtures and being aware of the best ways to use water.

If you are water efficient in your home, it means that you are using less water to give you the same result. Water efficiency can be achieved by using improved technology in your home, for example, by using water efficient appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. These water efficient appliances get the job done; they just use less water doing it. Water efficient fixtures, like showerheads, taps and toilets also allow you to use less water around your home.

Installing water efficient appliances and fixtures is a great way to star saving water, but the way you live and use water at home also makes a big difference. The benefit of installing a water-efficient showerhead is greatly reduced if you are going to tale 15 minute showers rather than 30 minute showers. Also, using water from your rainwater tank to hose down your driveway is still a waste of water.

The Australian Government’s Living Greener website provides some handy hints on how you can use water efficiently in your kitchen, laundry, bathroom and outside. Click on this link to read about some actions you can take in your home to be water wise and help be environmentally friendly. http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/water/water-efficiency-home/use-water-efficiently

Play your part in helping our environment and use these handy hints to make sure you use water wisely inside and outside of your home. Share this article with your family and friends so you can make sure they are doing their part too.

 

This article was first published on LivingGreener.gov.au and reposted on www.sydneywatertanks.com.au/archive  and www.bioseptic.com.au

Water Smart Gardens

Many Australian homes face limited rainfall and ongoing water restrictions. These conditions can have an impact on the health of your home garden. Living Greener, The Australian Government’s sustainability website has provided a number of tips to help design and maintain a water smart garden, which can be very rewarding and save you money, time and effort.

 

Planning your garden

You can plan and build your garden to take advantage of the climate without sacrificing beauty and variety. See which of these tips works for your situation:

  • Group plants together that have similar water requirements. This will help you to give your plants the right amount of water at the right time.
  • Plants that use a lot of water are best in a sheltered spot to reduce water loss. Large trees can help shelter your garden and limit evaporation.
  • Reduce lawn areas as they need a lot of water to keep them looking good.
  • Minimise outdoor paved areas as they can get very hot and dry out nearby soils.

Expert advice on planning and maintaining your garden can make a big difference to your water use and help keep the plants in your garden growing.

 

Passive design with plants

Garden plants can play an important role in heating and cooling your home using passive design solutions. You can use trees and vines to protect your home from the hot sun in summer. Deciduous trees and vines can let the warmth of the sun into your home in winter after they lose their leaves.

In addition to shading and cooling, passive design can also use plants to direct breezes into your windows in hot weather. You can also use trees to deflect hot or cold winds away from your home to keep you comfortable and reduce your heating and cooling costs.

 

Plants for your garden

Different plants are suited to different conditions. Native plants that are already adapted to your local climate and soil type are likely to be a safe investment if planted correctly. Plants taken from areas with high rainfall are not likely to thrive in the drier parts of Australia.

Native plants have adapted to Australia’s dry climate and many are happy with very little water. Native plants will also provide habitat and food to encourage birds and insects into your garden.

If you are in a dry area, some plants from other dry countries may also do well. Plants from South Africa, California and the Mediterranean often cope well in Australian conditions.

 

Soil quality

Dry or low-quality soil can stop water from penetrating to your plants’ roots and can make it difficult for them to grow.
You can make a big difference to the health of plants by improving poor soils:

  • Gypsum and sand added to clay soils helps to break up clay and improve drainage.
  • Hardy, deep-rooted plants can also help break up poor soils.
  • You could use compost or set up a worm farm and use the worm castings to add organic matter to the soil. This will also reduce your need for fertilisers.

If you do need to add fertiliser to your soil, try to use natural methods. Chemical additives are a quick fix but can have negative long term impacts on the environment.

Water crystals and soil wetting agents can increase soil moisture for use by the plants. Soil wetting agents allow water to penetrate dry soil surfaces and prevent run-off, while water crystals help store the water in the soil.

 

Mulching

Mulching is an important part of a water-efficient garden.

Mulch helps to keep moisture in your soil and helps keep weeds down. There are lots of different types of mulch available including leaves, grass clippings, straw and tan bark. Some mulch breaks down faster than others and can be useful to improve your soil.

 

Watering

Much of Australia is subject to some level of water restrictions with some watering activities banned all year round. Before you water your garden, make sure that you check with your council or water authority.

You can water correctly by getting to know the requirements of the plants in your garden. Everyone who waters your garden should know which parts need regular water and which parts are better left dry.

If you use an automatic watering system, check all of the pipes regularly for leaks. One drip per second can result in 12,000 litres of water wasted in a year.

Water storing crystals (gel) hold hundreds of times their weight in water. Using water crystals will increase the amount of water available for your plants’ roots after watering.

 

Share this article with your family and friends to make sure they know how to have a Water Smart Garden.

 

This article was first published on LivingGreener.gov.au and reposted on www.sydneywatertanks.com.au/archive and www.bioseptic.com.au

Keeping your home warm this winter

With the cooler months upon us, one of the most important things is to keep you home and your family warm. Taking action to stop cold air entering your home, and to stop warm air leaving, is one of the key ways to save energy and money. Living Greener has provided some helpful ideas that will help you have the greatest impact.

 

Draught proofing

Draught-proofing your home is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to keep your home warm and comfy as well as save energy and money. In fact, draught-proofing your home can save you up to a quarter of your heating bills.

Draughts can occur anywhere where there are gaps in the construction of your home, letting cold air in or warm air escape. Look for gaps around your doors, windows, architraves, along skirting boards, and between floorboards. Here are some draught-proofing activities you can do yourself:

  • To fill the gap between windows and frames, you can buy adhesive foam strips. You can select from a range of options at the hardware store. Another option is metal or plastic strips with brushes or wipers attached. These cost a little more but will last longer. Make sure you measure the gap between the window and the frame so the strip is the right width to do the job properly. If you have sliding sash windows, it’s best to fit brush strips or consult a professional.
  • Block the gap at the bottom of doors to the outside with a brush or hinged flap draught-stopper and fill the gaps around doors with the foam strips available from the hardware store. For the inside, you can use a sand-filled or fabric ‘sausage’ draught-stopper. Choose from colourful designs available in gift shops or make your own from fabric that you may already have at home.
  • For some areas, such as chimneys or around electrical fittings, you may need to seek expert advice.
  • Be careful in areas which need good ventilation such as rooms with open fires or unflued gas heaters, or rooms where lots of moisture is produced, like kitchens and bathrooms. Ventilation keeps air in your home fresh, dry and healthy so don’t block air vents and fans in these rooms.

 

Insulation

If you haven’t already insulated your home, now is the time to think about it having it installed. Not only will it make your home a lot more comfortable to live in, insulation can make some really dramatic savings in heating costs. Up to half the energy we use to heat our homes in winter can simply leak out through ceilings, walls and floors. Lots of Australians are sitting in rooms that are colder than they need to be.

There are many types of insulation available and their suitability depends on where you live, the type of roof, and whether you need to keep winter heat in or summer heat out or both. Start by doing some research about insulation and installation options; then talk to an expert to find out what’s best for your home, climate and individual circumstances.

It’s important to have insulation installed safely according to Australian standards and by someone with expert knowledge.

Windows

Windows can let as much as 40 per cent of your winter warmth sneak out of your home, but there are ways to improve window efficiency. Here are a few tips to help window treatments keep in the heat.

 

  • Curtains and blinds can make a surprising difference in keeping your home warm, as well as giving you privacy and looking great. Look for fabrics that insulate well, for example heavy fabrics or curtains with thermal lining or layers. Choose the best quality you can afford to give you the best thermal results.
  • Fitted pelmets above new or existing curtains are important in reducing heat loss. If pelmets don’t fit with your interior design, choose window fittings such as blinds that attach to the wall and trap air flow or install curtains that reach to the ceiling. For a simple do-it-yourself and low cost option, try fitting a strip of light wood across the curtain rail above the curtain to stop heat leaking away.
  • Installing glazing on windows or skylights is another option which will increase energy efficiency by trapping a layer of air and helping to keep the cold air at bay. It also reduces outside noise.
  • Double glazing can be expensive to retrofit but there are cheaper commercial alternatives as well as secondary glazing products that involve a thin plastic coating you can affix to windows yourself at a low cost. Check out what’s available in your hardware store.

 

Lighting

As the days begin to get shorter and cooler, we tend to spend more hours inside and have the lights burning longer each day. If you haven’t already done so, consider switching to energy-efficient lighting options. Did you know that most homes could halve the amount of energy used for lighting by making smarter lighting choices and using more efficient technologies? That can add up to a lot of dollar savings throughout the year.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can easily replace any inefficient incandescent lights you may have in your home. While CFLs cost a little more up front, they last a lot longer than the older style globes, are much cheaper to run, and now come in a range of shapes, colours and sizes. Tubular lamps (florescent tubes) are another good option for kitchens, garages and workshops. Try solar powered lights along your driveway or for garden lighting. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are a new highly efficient if you are building or renovating as they can last up to 50,000 hours. As the technology improves and demand increases, costs will come down.

 

Maintain heating systems

Keeping your heating system properly maintained will help it operate more efficiently and last longer. Check your instruction manual for guidance or contact your supplier or manufacturer for advice.

 

Share this article with your friends to make sure they are keeping their home warm this winter.

 

This article was first published on LivingGreener.gov.au and reposted on www.sydneywatertanks.com.au/archive and www.bioseptic.com.au

 

Components for precast concrete manufacturing

The Nobis range of products has been developed in Australia by the team here at The Martins Group. When building concrete septic tanks and water tanks, it was difficult to source good quality products and components for our tanks that were reasonably priced and had a consistent quality, so we now source our own range of better products.

Nobis Products include:

  • Crimped steel fibre for concrete reinforcement
  • Lockable septic tank access covers
  • Lockable watertight access covers and turrets
  • PVC non return flap valves, 100mm & 150mm
  • Septic tank inlet and outlet squares
  • Concrete tank wall sleeves
  • Concrete hardware – lifters & ferrules

Share this article today if you know someone who is after products and components for precast concrete manufacturing. Or, if you are a concrete septic tank or water tank manufacturer and looking for quality products, contact Nobis Products today on 1300 794 633 or visit our website for more information http://www.nobisproducts.com.au

Concept design for a combination rainwater tank and onsite detention tank for residential use

When building a new home, your local council will require you to have a rainwater tank and an onsite detention (OSD) tank, and often you will need both.

A client recently came to us with a specific need; they needed 8000L of capacity for rainwater reuse in their house and 7800L capacity for an OSD. Traditionally, the solution for them would be to install a rainwater tank and OSD separately in their home. However, we tailored a solution that paired two tanks; a 10000L and a 6100L, and customised the design of the tanks to suit their specified needs.

Our inhouse drafting department worked closely with our client and their engineer to create a specialised, multipurpose design that combined the rainwater tank and the OSD in a customised two tank solution. Specific design features were developed to manage tank overflow, prevent backflow into the tank and a balance pipe was included to stabalise the tank capacities.

Traditionally, OSDs are fabricated onsite, are labour intensive and expensive, designed to engineer specifications and take up space in your yard. Our customised solution was delivered to site, ready to be connected and it was installed underground, so yard space was not compromised. The client enjoyed a cost effective and multipurpose solution that met council requirements, and is out of site and out of mind.

If you are in the process of building a new house and are after a tailored solution call us today on 1800 041 111 and speak to one of our friendly salesmen about how we can help you.

design for Rainwater Tank

Water Saving Tips – how to maximise water harvesting

Now that the weather is getting cooler, it is important to start thinking about what you can do to ensure that you can maximise your rainwater for when the warmer seasons come back around. Rainwater can be used instead of mains drinking water for a number of activities in the home, including safely and easily supplying your toilet cisterns and outdoor taps with rainwater.

By installing a rainwater tank in your home, you could start saving around 50% of your domestic town water. For example, a toilet can use up to 12L per flush so installing a rainwater tank to toilet system can lead to major water savings.

There are many things you can do around your home all year round to make sure you get the most out of your rainwater tank and continue to save money. Consider the following tips so you can start to be green around your home:

  • One of the main uses for your rainwater tank is in your garden. During the rainy seasons when the garden doesn’t need as much watering, your rainwater tank can be connected to the house and used for toilet flushing and in some cases in the laundry as well. This can save you money all year round.
  • Keep up the general maintenance of your rainwater tank:
    • Prevent debris entering the storm water system draining into the rainwater tank by:
      • Keeping gutters free of debris such as leaves and twigs and vermin
      • Fitting proprietary leaf guards in the gutter to keep leaves out of the gutter
      • Fitting a leaf guard rain head to each downpipe will stop roof debris entering the stormwater system. These can be fitted about two metres from the ground on two storey houses to make them easier to clean
      • Engaging a professional gutter cleaning company to clean gutters with a powerful vacuum cleaner is the easiest way
  • Lead-based paint and flashing, or tar-based coatings found on some roofs affect water quality. Make sure your roof material is non-toxic
  • Make sure tank water is aerated, so it will not become stagnant.
  • Clean the inside of the tank every few years, as sediment will accumulate

Rainwater tanks generally require little maintenance, however following these small steps will help you maximise the water usage from your rainwater tank.

Rainwater tanks are available in a large variety of shapes, materials and sizes. Over the years, your family may have grown or your water consumption may have increased, which means what you installed years ago may not be suitable today. Alternatively, you may not have a rainwater tank and are thinking of installing one. In either case, you may be interested in reading our article on Tips to help you determine what size rainwater tank you need.  For more information on rainwater tanks, contact Sydney Water Tanks today.