Maintaining My Home

modifying occupant behaviour such as asking people to have shorter hot showers is one obvious option

if you have a mains-pressure system, fitting a low-flow showerhead that use less than 9 litres of water per minute can be a good step. For example, replacing a shower that uses 14 litres per minute with one that uses 8.5 litres can cut water use by around 48,000 litres per year (assuming three showers per household per day for an average time of 8 minutes)

aerators/flow restrictors can be fitted to taps used for hand washing. These relatively inexpensive devices can reduce water flow by half or more, down to 12, 8 or 6 litres per minute. Aerators are not suitable for taps on baths where a larger volume of water is required

if you have an old top-loading washing machine that connects to both hot and cold water supplies, consider replacing it with a water-efficient front-loading machine. These typically connect only to the cold water supply, and while they heat their own water, they typically use less water and less energy than top-loaders

dripping taps or showers should be fixed without delay. A slow-dripping tap can lose 3 litres per day or 90 litres per month and a fast-dripping tap can waste more than 70 litres per day

homeowners can replace tap washers on older-style taps themselves. Check the information here or here. Only carry this out if you have the tools, skills and experience to do the job

more complex lever and ceramic taps and shower mixers are likely to require a licensed plumber to repair

water in a storage cylinder must be heated to over 60°C at least once a day to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria. Water temperatures much higher than this can waste energy and produce higher power bills – and can also lead to a risk of water from taps being dangerously hot

check that the thermostat is set to 60°C. Reduce to this temperature of it is set higher

homeowners are permitted to remove and replace a faulty thermostat, so long as it does not involve work on a switchboard. (The rule is in New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Homeowner/Occupier's Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations, NZECP 51:2004)

homeowners should only make this repair themselves if they have the skills, experience and tools to be able to safely and competently complete the job. You are required by law to carry out the work “in a workmanlike manner” and in compliance with all the relevant laws and codes

most homeowners should call a licensed plumber

every hot water cylinder requires a method of pressure relief because water expands with heat, increasing pressure. Occasional dripping is not a cause for concern – it just shows the system is working. If you turn off the power supply to the cylinder for 10–15 minutes and the dripping stops, then what you have is normal expansion of hot water

if dripping is continuous and excessive then there is a problem. Gently open the test lever to allow a discharge of water and any gritty material or minerals that may be contributing to the problem

if water doesn’t come out of the tank during this test, call a licensed plumber immediately

if water comes out during the test but dripping continues, the valve may be faulty or worn out and requires replacement. This is not a task that a homeowner can carry out – call in a licensed plumber. You can check whether someone is licensed here

valve manufacturers typically suggest that homeowners operate the test lever once a year