The average North American household wastes about 10,000 gallons of water from household leaks every year. About 10% of homes have severe leaks that see waste ranging upwards of 90 gallons or more per day! Do you have a dripping faucet or leaking toilet you’ve been ignoring for some time? You know the leak is wasting water and costing you money, but how much are your water bills really increasing by putting off the repair? By breaking down the costs of different leaks and realizing other ways you’re wasting water, you can improve your conservation efforts to lower your monthly bills as much as possible.

How Much Water Does A Dripping Faucet Or Showerhead Waste? The telltale sign of a leaky faucet is the steady drip of water. A typical leak of 10 drops per minute wastes nearly one gallon per day, or 29 gallons per month. A faucet that leaks 120 drops per minute, however, wastes around 15 gallons per day, or 435 gallons per month! This alone can add $15-20 every month on your water utility bill.

Fortunately, a leaking faucet is relatively simple to detect and repair. A visual inspection of your faucets, showerheads and other fixtures is all that is required to detect a leak at the fixture. A defective rubber washer in the faucet handle is the most typical cause of a faucet leak. In most circumstances, you can turn off the water to the leaky faucet, unscrew the handle, remove the faulty washer, and replace it.

How Much Water Does A Running/Leaky Toilet Use?

Toilets account for more than 30% of the average American home’s indoor water use. It should come as no surprise, then, that they offer a significant leak risk. A running or leaking toilet can waste up to 6,000 gallons per month. Depending on the rate you pay for water and sewer, this could cost as much as $100 per month!

Fortunately, you can detect a leaky or running toilet and stop it in its tracks. Just listen for the sound of water running or a “phantom flush” when no one has touched the handle. This is the tank refilling as water leaks into the bowl through a faulty flapper. First, make sure the flapper isn’t caught on the chain or sitting sideways on the opening. These problems can cause the toilet to run continuously. If you hear the phantom flush, replacing the flapper should be all you need to stop a leaky toilet from wasting water.

Professional Leak Detection And Water-Saving Experts In Minnesota

Whether you’re worried about high bills or water damage, it’s worthwhile to find and stop leaks quickly. Contact our plumbing company today to learn more about the various elements that influence your water bill and usage. Our team of experienced plumbers always provides quality Twin Cities metro-area plumbing services! Whether it’s plumbing inspection, repair, or replacement, Dan’s Plumbing and Septic can help!