An average North American household loses approximately 10,000 gallons of water each year from household leaks. 10% of homes suffer from severe leaks, resulting in water loss of up to 90 gallons per day. Are you ignoring a dripping toilet or a leaky faucet for a while? While you know that the leak is costing money and wasting water, how much do your water bills increase if the repair is delayed? You can reduce your monthly water bills by identifying the cost of leaks and other ways that you are wasting water.

How Much Water Is A Dripping Shower Head Or Faucet Wasting?

A steady drip of water is a sign that your faucet is leaking. A leakage rate of about 10 drops per minute is enough to waste nearly 1 gallon per day or 29 gallons per year. However, a faucet that leaks 120 drops per hour will waste around 15 gallons per person per day or 435 gallons per month. This alone could add $15-20 per month to your water utility bill.

A leaking faucet can be easily detected and repaired. To detect a leak, all you need to do is inspect your fixtures, including the faucets and showerheads. The most common cause of a faucet leaking is a defective rubber washer within the faucet handle. You can turn off the water supply to the faucet, unscrew the handle and replace the washer.

How Many Gallons Of Water Does A Running/Leaky Bathroom Use?

More than 30% of indoor water usage in the average American house is done by toilets. They pose a serious leak risk, so it’s not surprising that they are a major source of indoor water use. A leaking or running toilet could waste as much as 6,000 gallons each month. This could run you as high as $100 per month, depending on how much you pay for water or sewer.

You can stop a running or leaky toilet from happening by simply listening to it. Listen for water running, or a “phantom sneeze” sound when the handle is not touched. This is caused by water leaking into the bowl from a faulty flapper. The flapper should not be caught on the chain or positioned sideways in the opening. These issues can cause the toilets to stop working. To stop your toilet from leaking water, replace the flapper if you hear the flushing sound.

Water-Saving And Professional Leak Detection Expert

It doesn’t matter if you are worried about water damage or high bills, it is worth finding and stopping leaks as soon as possible. Get in touch with our plumbing company to find out more about how water usage and bills are affected. Our experienced team of plumbers provides high-quality plumbing services in the Twin Cities metro area. Dan’s Plumbing and Septic is here to help with any plumbing repair, replacement, or inspection.