Although it may not always be easy to save money on college, grocery shopping, or the holidays, fixing water leaks in your house is an excellent way to save money on your water bill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, an average home may waste up to 10,000 gallons of water on an annual basis due to water leaks. It’s important to keep an eye on your water meter throughout the year, especially in the winter months. If your family utilizes more than 12,000 gallons of water on a monthly basis, this is an indicator of a water leak in your house. To help you avoid high water bills, we have compiled a list of 8 ways to conserve water.
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How to Decrease the Cost of Your Water Bills
1.) Replace Leaky Sinks & Faucets
An easy way to save money on your water bills is to hire a plumber to replace the leaky faucets in your house. Although a leaky sink only loses a small amount of water each day, this issue may be causing you to waste a couple gallons of water each month. A leaky sink in your kitchen or bathroom may cause you to lose above 2,000 gallons of water on an annual basis, according to the US Geological Survey. A licensed technician in your area will help you choose a new sink that matches the decor of your home.
2.) Purchase a Energy-Efficient Shower Head
If your water bill is always high, this issue may be produced by an old inefficient shower head in your house. To lower your water bill, we recommend investing in a low-flow shower head that features a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons of water per minute. While many people believe an energy-efficient shower fixture will negatively impact water pressure, this is a false rumor that should be ignored. Once you install a new energy-efficient shower fixture in your bathroom, you won’t be able to notice a difference in water pressure or quality.
3.) Become Familiar With the Signs of Water Leaks
To avoid structural damage to your home and high water bills, it’s important to become familiar with signs and symptoms of leaking water pipes behind walls. Failure to fix hidden plumbing leaks may lead to problems such as damaged wood, drywall stains, flooring, and mold. To help you reduce your water bill and prevent expensive household repairs, we have compiled a list of the most common signs of a water leak behind your walls.
Bad Odors
Hidden water pipe leaks behind your walls will cause your drywall, wood baseboards, and structural panels to become moist. If a water leak is not fixed quickly by a certified technician, mold and mildew may begin to form in the pores of your drywall. In most cases, a hidden water leak can be identified by a stale odor in a room or area of your house. To prevent the growth of mold in your house, you should call a licensed plumber to fix the hidden water leak behind your wall. Diagnosing and fixing damaged water lines will help you reduce your water bills.
Damaged Paint & Wallpaper
While fixing a severe water leak may help you save money on your water bill, it will also prevent the paint on your walls from becoming discolored. In some cases, the moisture from a pipe leak may remove a small portion of paint on your wall. In addition, the excess water may also lead to loose or damaged wallpaper in your bedroom or family area.
Curved Drywall
Once the sheetrock behind the drywall in your house becomes too damaged, it will begin to crumble. This will cause issues such as bumps or curves to form on your smooth drywall. You will need to hire a licensed technician to fix the cracked water pipe quickly behind your wall to save money on your water bill and prevent damage to the foundation of your house.
Damaged Floors
High water bills may be the least of your worries if you have a concealed water leak in your house. To avoid buckled or cracked flooring in your bathroom or bedroom, it is critical to report a moderate to severe water leak to a licensed technician.
4.) Check Your Toilets for Leaks
If you’re trying to reduce your water bills, we also suggest performing an inspection of your toilets to confirm if they are leaking. To confirm if you have a leak, remove the lid from the tank on your toilet. Next, place a dye tablet in the water tank and wait a total of 30 minutes. Once you return to your bathroom, perform an inspection of the water in your toilet bowl. If the water in your toilet bowl is colored, this is an indicator of a severe toilet leak. Another way to confirm if you have a toilet leak is to inspect the toilet bowl to confirm if water is flowing down the inside of the walls.
5.) Analyze Your Water Heater Wait Time
It is not uncommon to waste up to 2 to 3 gallons of water while you are waiting for your pipes to deliver warm water to your shower. To lower your water bills each month, you should talk with a certified contractor about installing insulation on your pipes. Since the pipes without insulation behind your walls can become cold throughout the winter season, it is not uncommon for the temperature of your water to decrease as it travels from your water heater to your shower. The only way to fix this plumbing problem is to talk with a plumber about installing pipe insulation.
6.) Buy a Low Flow Toilet
Consider upgrading your toilet to a low flush model. You may be able to reduce your indoor water usage by almost 30 percent. Older toilets are designed to use 3 – 4 gallons of water per flush. On the other hand, a low flow toilet is engineered to use 1 – 2 gallons of water per flush. In some cases, you may be able to save up to 2 gallons of water each time you use the toilet. While the upfront cost of a low flow toilet may be expensive, you will earn that money back from your reduced water bill.
7.) Avoid Washing Dishes By Hand
While it may seem counterintuitive, studies have shown it’s possible to save money on your water bills by using your dishwasher. An average family may use up to 30 gallons of water to wash a large amount of dishes by hand. On the other hand, your dishwasher will only use around 4 to 5 gallons of water to clean the same number of dishes.
8.) Limit Usage of Garbage Disposal
An effortless way to lower the total cost of your water bill each month is to limit your use of your in-sink garbage disposal. In order for these units to work properly, you need to use a considerable amount of water. Instead, put your food waste to good use by recycling it in a compost pile for your garden as free fertilizer.
9.) Wash Your Car at Home
It may come as a surprise to you that washing your car at home is generally more expensive when compared to visiting a car wash. While it may cost a couple of dollars to get your car washed, you may end up spending more money once you pay for the soap, sponges, and water. If you choose to wash your car at home, it’s easy to use up to 20 to 30 gallons of water in a couple of minutes. If you want to wash your car on your driveway, a beneficial way to reduce your water bill is to use a bucket and a sponge to reduce the total amount of water you use.
10.) Hire a Professional to Fix Water Softener Leaks
The most frequent cause of water softener leaks include an unfastened water pipe connection, damaged bypass valve, broken rotor valve seal, or malfunctioning rotor valve. In addition, issues with your brine tank may also produce a water leak. To save money on your water bill, hire a licensed technician to fix your water softener leak.
If you believe you have a water leak in your house, give our team a call by phone at (904) 217-5694 or book an appointment online to receive emergency help. Our team of licensed plumbers offer plumbing and HVAC repair services for water heaters, sump pumps, water softeners, air conditioning systems, and furnaces. Fenwick Home Services provides dependable and fast emergency plumbing services in areas of Florida such as Jacksonville, Fleming Island, Atlantic Beach, Saint Johns, and Ponte Vedra Beach.