When you are a homeowner, things that seem inconsequential can become big problems. As an example, you may think a small leak from one of your faucets can be ignored, but the waste of water can add up. According to the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), leaking water from a faucet will average about ten drops per minute – or almost a gallon of water daily. To preserve water and save money on your water bill, you should contact a plumbing contractor.
You might wonder, “How much does a dripping faucet cost?” According to Real Homes, a continuously leaking faucet may cost up to $200 per year. Keep in mind that if the leak is due to cracked plumbing pipes, those pipes could be allowing pollutants or hazardous chemicals into your home’s water supply, which could then raise the cost to as high as $600 per month.
If your faucet is not leaking but you see a puddle of water underneath your sink, you may have a faucet supply line leak. If you see this, you should shut off the water supply. Try to tighten the washer inside the supply line with a wrench. If this doesn’t work, call a plumber.
Leaky faucets are often ignored. People are used to their faucets leaking slightly. The sink might continue to drip water throughout the day, and some homeowners might not get the basic sink faucet fixed. However, they’ll slowly increase their water-related expenses by the second if they leave a sink problem like this untreated.
People may not need a 24 hour emergency plumbing service to assist them with a leaking faucet. A basic bathroom faucet won’t cause especially severe and immediate problems. Of course, the pipes leading to even a basic kitchen sink faucet can burst, which actually could create an emergency situation that demands quick care. If there’s just a basin faucet set issue, however, people have more time to call the plumbers that’ll aid them. They still shouldn’t just watch their sinks drip and make it a normal process at home, however.
A simple shower uses gallons of water, even if it doesn’t feel like it. People won’t be wasting quite that much water all at once with a steady faucet leak. However, since this is happening all day and all the time, residents will be surprised by the quantity of water that can be lost under those circumstances.
Does your house have a leaky faucet? We all notice when a faucet leaks at night, or a toilet is broken and won’t stop running when guests are over. The noise from these plumbing problems are annoying and difficult to ignore. Truthfully, many people will ignore a plumbing problem until they cannot take the inconvenience anymore. But you may want to consider finding a plumber sooner rather than later for that toilet repair: household leaks can add up on a water bill.
Over the course of a year, it is estimated that common household leaks amount to about 1 trillion gallons of wasted water nationwide. For the average household the accumulation of small but unfixed leaks such as toilet repairs can actually add up to 10,000 gallons annually. You could wash 270 loads of laundry with that amount.
Clearly, if there is a leak it needs to be fixed quickly for a number of reasons. The dripping sound of a leaky faucet; the rushing water of a toilet repair problem; or worst of all, a flooding from a burst pipe all need you to find licensed plumbers in your area right away. When you remember that everyday the problem is not fixed leads to both water and money going straight down the drain, the problem gains a sense of urgency.
Where is this water being used? About 30% of water usage is taken up by the toilets in your house. Faucets, such as in the bathroom and kitchen, take up about 15% of total water usage. The remainder is split between the washer, bath and showers, and outdoor usage, if you have a nice green lawn.
The pipes that pump water throughout your house are fairly sturdy and reliable. That doesn’t mean they are unbreakable. Cold weather especially can be hard on water pipes. It only takes a crack a few millimeters wide to cause a nasty flood in the house.
The good news is that while it can be frustrating when one of these problems pop up, fixing all leaks can actually end up saving money. Households that take care of these small leaks can see up to a 10% reduction on their monthly water bills. If that seems unlikely, remember that even small leaks can add up over a year.
Our water pipes are typically a household fixture that doesn’t get much, if any, attention unless there is a big problem. But it is important to remember that water bills are usually one of the most expensive bills for many households. Fix your water problems early to minimize extra costs.