The FREE water saving gadget that can slash bills by £40 – it’s so easy to do
MILLIONS of households could slash their bill by as much as £40 a year by making one simple change to a common household item.
You could be saving huge cash on water costs by installing a little-known gadget in your bathroom.
The gadget is an aerated or regulated shower head which reduces the amount of water you use day to day without you noticing.
The amount of water pumped out by these shower heads is around seven to eight litres per minute.
In comparison, a regular model releases around 15 litres per minute.
By reducing your water consumption this much you could save up to £40 across the year.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? home products and services editor told The Sun: “Eco shower heads can be a good way to reduce your water usage and save on your energy bills.
“To check whether you could cut your water usage by switching to an eco shower head, put a two-litre container on the shower floor.
If it takes less than 12 seconds to fill when the shower is running on full, that’s the equivalent of it putting out 10 litres every minute.
“If that’s the case, you could benefit from a low-flow or water-saving shower head.”
Aerated and regulated shower heads are available to buy in most hardware stores and prices usually start from around £15.
For example, in Boots you can buy a JML Pure Shower Ionic Shower Head for £14.99.
The description of the product says it is a “powerful, filtering shower head that increases pressure but saves on water.”
You can also find them in Victoria Plumbing for £19.95 and ScrewFix for £19.99.
As always we recommend you compare prices by looking at a range of sites and browsing the “lowest prices first” using the “sort by” tool.
But don’t rush to buy – as thousands of households may also be able to get the gadget for free.
To find out how to do this you can visit a website called Savemoneysavewater.co.uk where all the current freebies from water companies are listed.
According to the website it has delivered 2.75 million water saving devices to more than 1 million customers and saved over 51 billion litres of water.
You can secure a free aerated shower head on the website by filling out a quick survey on your household water usage.
For example, it will ask how many people use your shower and how often they shower throughout the week.
Then you will be directed to the water supplier’s website which is stocking the freebie gadget.
This won’t be available with all companies and could depend on where it is that you live.
For example, if you live in Scotland delivery may be limited.
Although you can sometimes still get the freebies if you go directly to your water firm’s websites.
You can also apply for other freebies and discounts on the website including discounted water butts.
What water bill support is available?
IT'S always worth checking if you qualify for a discount or extra support to help pay your water bill.
Over two million households who qualify to be on discounted social water tariffs aren’t claiming the savings provided, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW).
Only 1.3million households are currently issued with a social water tariff – up 19% from the previous year.
And the average household qualifying for the discounted water rates can slash their bills by £160 a year.
Every water company has a social tariff scheme which can help reduce your bills if you’re on a low income and the CCW is calling on customers to take advantage before bills rise in April.
Who’s eligible for help and the level of support offered varies depending on your water company.
Most suppliers also have a pot of money to dish out to thousands of customers who are under pressure from rising costs – and you don’t have to pay it back.
These grants can be worth hundreds of pounds offering a vital lifeline when faced with daunting water bills.
The exact amount you can get depends on where you live and your supplier, as well as your individual circumstances.
Many billpayers across the country could also get help paying off water debts through a little-known scheme and even get the balance written off.
Companies match the payments eligible customers make against the debt on their account to help clear it sooner.
If you’re on a water meter but find it hard to save water as you have a large family or water-dependent medical condition, you may be able to cap your bills through the WaterSure scheme.
Bills are capped at the average amount for your supplier, so the amount you could save will vary.
The Consumer Council for Water estimates that bills are reduced by £307 on average through the scheme.
HOW ELSE CAN I CUT MY ENERGY BILLS?
Another simple way to reduce water consumption is by keeping your showers under five minutes and avoiding leaving the shower running before you get in.
If your shower head is adjustable you should also make sure the flow of your shower so it isn’t too powerful to keep your usage as low as possible.
It’s now too late to send a meter reading ahead of this month’s price cap change as all energy suppliers’ deadlines have closed.
However it always helps to submit a reading each month if you’re not on a smart meter to make sure your bill is accurate.
For example, British Gas closed their Meter Reading Day page on October 14 but customers can submit a reading anytime via the website, app or automated landline.
Also with Ofgem having warned households that bills will rise by an average of £142 it’s important to keep an eye on your thermostat.
The Energy Saving Trust recommends that your thermostat should be set to the lowest comfortable temperature, which for most is between 18°C and 21°C.
You could also save as much as £180 on your bills annually by turning your boiler’s flow temperature down.
It is also important to ensure that when your boiler’s running, there’s no draught letting precious heat escape.
In a recent article The Sun listed ways you can save energy in your home using items you already own.
This includes putting rugs over draught-prone areas of flooring, stuffing your chimney with newspaper, and putting aluminium foil behind your radiators.
And remember that if you are too cold for comfort this winter – there is help available to those who are struggling.
Contact your energy supplier and your local council to find out what you can claim.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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