Summertime, and the living is easy

But is your cottage plumbing working too hard?

With the new wider availability of water-saving toilets and fixtures, and a few convenience products that just make sense, the task of watching water levels in the septic tank can be much less of a concern. For owners trying to keep their worries and their operating costs down the change-over to a dual-flush (3L or 6L per flush) toilet can make a huge difference. Essentially you can expect to reduce consumption on your biggest water drinker to as much as half of it’s previous consumption and much, much more if you are replacing a 13L per flush model. When combined with low-flow shower heads, and a smaller hot water tank (to help reduce shower times and the time it takes to reheat) you can dramatically reduce the amount of water you are pumping into the septic tank, and consequently, the cost of running and wear and tear on the water supply pump, and the cost of emptying the tank afterwards. Add a grey water recovery system to that for all the water coming from your shower, sinks and dishwasher, and you now have a ready supply of irrigation water for the flowers and lawn that would otherwise just contribute to filling your septic tank. Of equal importance, you would not be taking as much water from your well or lake.

For sheer fun and relaxed living, there is nothing like taking your shower outdoors. Many systems are available that make it easy to install one where you want.  Perhaps it’s a quick rinse on the dock after swimming, or maybe to have that extra spot for guests to use to reduce the morning line-up for the main bathroom.

If the bathroom is a congestion point, then perhaps you would like to add another toilet. This can be done quickly and easily with a Sani-Flo toilet that operates through a macerating pump (it gets rid of the lumps). It can be installed easily in any location (just remember to prepare it properly for the winter months). If you have a cold water supply and can reach your septic waste line with ¾” PVC pipe, then you can install a masserating toilet. A shower and sink can also be plugged in to it. Setting up a second bathroom couldn’t be easier.

Another item worth it’s weight in ‘convenience’ is an instant hot and cold water dispenser. Once you get used to having one, you’ll wonder how you survived without it. No more boiling kettles for tea, soup or snacks. The water is dispensed at near-boiling temperatures so even if you need to boil water for supper, the energy usage will be minimal.  Soup, hot dogs, or mac’n’cheese can be prepared much faster with one of these babies, and without heating up the kitchen. Hook the cold side up to a reverse osmosis and ultraviolet water filtration system and you no longer need to cart bottled water back and forth. How kool is that?

There are many ways to make your cottage or summer home more convenient and relaxed to live in. To see some of these items up-close visit one of the Mondeau Bathroom and Kitchen showrooms, or a Boone Plumbing wholesale outlet. They’ll be happy to give you all the advice you need to hook t up right, and if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, they’ll even help you to find a plumber or renovator who can.

So don’t forget the sun screen and life jackets, and have a wonderful summer.

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