Receiving a higher-than-normal water bill can be shock to anyone. Not only does a high-water bill mean more money out of your pocket, it also means water, one of our most precious resources, is being wasted. Therefore, when you receive a large water statement, you’ll likely want to track down the cause and fix it as soon as possible.
Generally, the most common cause of higher water bill is a leak. Here are some common causes of leaks and what you can do about them:
- Toilets
Did you know that the toilets in your home can account for over a quarter of your home’s indoor water usage? Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if you have a running or leaky toilet, you could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water a day or 1,400 gallons of water a week.
To determine if your toilet is leaking, you can perform a:
- Sound test. Stand next to your toilet and listen for running water or a hiss-like noise.
- Dye test. Put a few drops of dye (available at a hardware store) into the tank. Wait for at least 20 minutes. If there is any dye in the toilet bowl or on the floor around the toilet, you have a leak.
If the leak is a faulty flush valve ball, you can easily replace the mechanism yourself, if you wish. If you suspect another not-so-easily-fixed issue, contact a professional plumber, like those at Pipe Dream Plumbing, to assess and repair the problem.
- Faucets, Shower Heads and Other Fixtures
A leaky faucet or fixture is another common cause of excessive water bills. Unfortunately, the bigger the leak, the higher your water bill can be. For example, the EPA says, “A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.” That’s a lot of water!
Fortunately, you can easily see and fix a leaky faucet, shower head or other fixture. Most of the time the culprit will be a faulty washer in the faucet handle. For help on how to repair a faucet leak, search the internet or visit your local home center.
- Water Pipes
Sometimes a water pipe leading from your metered connection into your home can have a crack or a loose joint. Some common causes for water pipe leaks include the age of the pipe, tree root intrusion, earthquake activity and animal interference.
Finding a water pipe leak can be hard to do. Check outdoor spigots and in your basement or crawl space for wet spots. A water pipe leak is a more severe problem; therefore, you should have a licensed plumber, such as those at Pipe Dream Plumbing, help identify and fix the problem.
Fix Your Leak Today!