With new research revealing that 80% of people in Britain regularly commit at least one water-wasting habit, Croydex is urging installers to lead the charge in the battle against water wastage.
Peter Pegden, Product and Procurement Director at Croydex, comments: “A survey by Watersafe, the national accreditation scheme for plumbers in the UK, found that 98% of their members think it’s part of a plumber’s job to provide advice on water efficiency and 92% regularly talk to customers about products that can help save water. So, clearly plumbers are already having these conversations, but what products should they be recommending?
“According to the Energy Saving Trust, showers are the biggest consumers of water in the home, so fitting a water efficient shower head is a good place to start. A concern when fitting these products is that customers may end up being unsatisfied with the performance of their shower. This is where multi-function products are useful, as customers can simply turn a dial to choose another mode if they decide they want a more powerful shower that day. Many shower heads also incorporate an optional flow regulator that, when fitted at higher pressures, further reduces water consumption.
“Limescale can also inhibit the shower performance by blocking pipes and nozzles and reducing the flow, forcing customers to try a higher flow setting and end up using more water than necessary. Thankfully, many products feature rub clean nozzles that make limescale elimination a breeze.
“Manufacturers can simplify the product selection process by subscribing to universally-recognised labelling schemes that clearly identify the most water-efficient products. One example is the Unified Water Label Scheme, which provides easy access to a database of bathroom products that, when installed and used correctly, will use less water, save energy and save customers money.
“The Unified Water Label uses a colour-coded performance banding scheme to denote water and energy consumption of products registered with the scheme. The most efficient products, which use less than 5 l/min, are at the top in bright green, whilst the most water-hungry devices are at the bottom in red – with everything else in between.
“The Croydex Contour Maxi handset sits in the second-highest category on the Unified Water Label Scheme, with a flow rate of 6.7 l/min when using the optional ECO water saving device, which reduces water consumption by up to 50%. The rub clean nozzles also make it easy to clean; ensuring flow remains strong and unobstructed by limescale build-up.
“These simple recommendations will save water, reduce money and result in happy customers. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
