Water Coolers on a Budget
A water cooler in your office, school or home isn’t a huge luxury. For a workplace, a supply of clean, potable drinking water is a legal requirement – and it helps a lot if it’s chilled and easily accessible for anyone needing to slake their thirst.
If you think a water cooler is an expense that you can do without, think again. We’ve become aware that water is the healthy option, rather than caffeine-laden hot refreshments or sugar-filled fizzy drinks. Water coolers are standard equipment in many thousands of offices – and given their affordability, it’s surprising that they aren’t almost as common as kettles.
The most economical option for anyone wanting to install a water cooler in their premises is definitely a plumbed in system. This means that the system uses your regular mains water supply. With a mains fed water cooler system your water costs are the lowest you can get.
You won’t have a problem with quality. After all, investigations into pricey bottled waters in the past have shown that sometimes this ‘designer’ water comes from the tap, too. The magic is in the branding and the trendiness of bottled water.
If you aren’t happy with the quality of your mains water supply, then a plumbed in water cooler system that uses mains water is the budget solution for getting better quality drinking water without resorting to buying in bottled water.
How’s that? Most water coolers have highly effective filter systems that will deal with any problems you may have with the water that comes out of the tap. Filters (of various kinds, including carbon and UV) will effectively filter out particles and unwanted substances, including excess fluoride and even help reduce traces of lead, if you still have lead pipes.
The costs of a water cooler system will obviously vary according to how many people will be using it, the heat and dryness in your workplace or premises and the amount of physical activity that people are engaged in.
You may find that a water cooler system with chilled water on tap is a more economical alternative to kettles constantly being boiled for tea and coffee. Water coolers aren’t huge energy consumers, but it’s worth looking out for the most energy-efficient model – you can save substantially in the long run if you do. Also make sure you choose one that is not too big for your actual needs. A table top model with smaller capacity could be perfect for your home or smaller office.
The decision about whether to rent or buy is something to consider when you’re working out how a water cooler will fit into your budget. Depending on your needs, it may be more economical for you to rent, with a contract that covers maintenance and servicing (such as filter cleaning and changing, typically about every 3-4 months) and repairs. Remember too that if you need two water coolers in different locations, it won’t necessarily be double the cost.
Alternatively you may save money by maintaining your system yourself. It isn’t hard to do with a water cooler service kit. Water coolers don’t have lots of moving parts or delicate elements, so you are unlikely to have breakdowns that require you to shell out for replacement components. If you buy your water cooler outright, regular self-servicing and simple care will make sure your water cooler lasts for many years.
Water coolers come in a range of stylish designs that make them look more expensive than they are. In fact, you can save money with the right model of water cooler for your requirements. It’s the simple way to refresh.
