According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average household in the US spends about $500 on their water and sewer bill each year, which doesn’t seem too bad, but what if we were to tell you that there’s an easy way to knock off about $170 from that yearly total. Would you like to know how?
As we said, it’s easy! The EPA reports that the average household uses approximately 32% of their indoor water usage on sinks and showers alone, and generally uses older or out-of-date faucets and fixtures. These old, out-of-date fixtures are very low-efficient, which means they are very wasteful and actually cost you a lot more money than necessary to use! At Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, we recommend retrofitting your entire home with new, more high-efficient models that will not only help save water but will also help keep more money in YOUR pocket!
If replacing all of the faucets and fixtures in your home isn’t quite in your budget, for the time being, try this quick and cheap tip:
Install a faucet aerator or showerhead aerator in each of your sinks and showers. These aerators only cost a few dollars each and are installed at the tip of your faucets or inside your showerhead and are designed to “add air” to the water stream, which gives the illusion of more water, but actually, you’re using less! They are very easy to install, and also help reduce splashing, and can even increase water pressure too!
Simple fixes like this can help you conserve nearly 30% of your household water usage, which you will definitely notice when it comes time to pay your next water bill!
That’s right! Don’t take a leak! A water leak that is. Based on some statistics from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an average household will waste 10,000 gallons of water each year due to simple leaks in the home. Think about it. That’s 10,000 full-gallon milk jugs just sitting in your home are wasted each year. That’s enough to fill an entire standard-sized backyard swimming pool! Not only that, but one out of every ten homes in the US has leaks that waste an upward of 90 to 100 gallons per DAY! That home MIGHT be yours, and YOU might be overpaying a hefty amount on your monthly water bill because of it! Let us help you determine if you have any leaks!
Leak detection is the key! Most leaks occur around major fixtures and appliances in the home, such as toilets, sinks, showers, bathtubs, refrigerators, washing machines, garden hoses, etc. Many of these leaks are actually very easy to find and correct, and the best part is, by fixing them, the average household can save more than ten percent (10%) off their monthly water bill! Let us help you find out if you have any leaks!
The most obvious signs of leaks are easily detected by simply using four out of your five senses:
LOOK for visible signs of water damage on walls, floors, or even ceilings. This may be discoloration or warping near any major appliances or water lines.
LISTEN for sounds of running water or drips coming from any major fixtures or appliances.
SMELL for mildew or mold in places near any major fixtures or appliances.
TOUCH to see if you feel dampness behind or underneath any major fixtures or appliances.
Generally, these are the first indicators of a problem, but all too often none of these indicators are present, which is why so many household leaks go unnoticed each year. Another way to assess if you might have a leak is to run a check of your water meter. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour time frame where no water will be used in your house. If the meter does not read exactly the same after two hours, mayday! You have a leak!
A third easy check to run is on your toilets. Running toilets are one of the biggest culprits of wasted water each year. Place a drop of food coloring in your toilet tank. If within 15 minutes it appears in the bowl without flushing, yikes! You have a leak! (NOTE: Just make sure to flush your toilet immediately following this experiment to avoid color-stained toilet bowls!)
Now, once a leak is detected, most often it is something that just requires a quick twist to tighten, but if you’re not sure of the cause, or suspect a leak that you cannot find, it’s always best to call a professional. Local plumbing companies, like Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, can often detect a leak in a matter of minutes and figure out a quick remedy to make it stop. Most household leaks just require a simple part replacement which can be taken care of very easily. However, with many older fixtures and appliances, we always recommend retrofitting to newer more efficient ones that will help save you more than what they even cost to have installed!
So don’t sit around and wonder why your water bill is so high, don’t take a leak! CHECK, TWIST, REPLACE!
CHECK near all of your fixtures and appliances for signs of a leak
TWIST any loose fittings or washers to ensure a tight connection
REPLACE if your fixtures or appliances are out-of-date or if you notice any worn parts, have them replaced as soon as possible for a quick money saver!
If you’d like more facts about Water Sense, a program designed by the EPA to help save water and save you money, visit them online by clicking on this link EPA Water Sense Program or visit our website at DanielCordovaPlumbing.com to find out how we can help! If you are interested in an entire home leak detection check-up today, give us a call at (626) 968-0885. Don’t take a leak! Get it fixed quick!
RUNNING TOILET: When the water is running from the tank to the toilet continuously.
When you hear your toilet running, have you ever wondered how much water and money you’re throwing down the drain? We have a story that might make you think twice!
We recently had a client call us asking how much water a constantly running toilet leaks? When we questioned his question, we found out that this particular client had just received a 3-month water bill for $1,063! His normal 3-month bill was only $143. The usage on this bill showed 90,000 gallons! With only two people living in the house, could this even be possible??
The answer is, yes! It can! Let us explain…
After talking to this client a little more, they explained that during this 3 month period, they DID have a running toilet for about 3 weeks. Three weeks, not a big deal right? Well, let’s see!
We’ll take the WORSE CASE SCENARIO:
In this case, the running would be full force, that is, the flapper valve is open and the tank is constantly draining.
So let’s say we’re dealing with a standard 1.5-gallon toilet. We’ll assume that it takes approximately 30 seconds for the tank to refill from a standard flush. So that’s 1.5 gallons per flush or per 30 seconds, or 3 gallons per minute. Now, let’s do some real calculations!
60 minutes per hour x 24 hours per day = 1,440 minutes per day
1,440 minutes per day x 3 gallons of water per minute = 4,320 gallons of water per day
7 days per week x 3 weeks = 21 days
4,320 gallons of water per day x 21 days = 90,720!
I’d say it’s definitely a possibility!
So let us give you our BIG TIP OF THE MONTH: Check your toilets regularly for any leaks or continuous flowing! And if you notice a problem, get it fixed quick! We don’t want you to have to face the same fate this client did with your next water bill, so now you know!
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