Is Your Plumbing System Costing You?

April 24, 2023

Your plumbing may be draining your bank account without you realizing it. According to Kitchen Infinity, 10% of adults have needed the services of a plumber over the past year. How can you tell if your plumbing is affected by issues that could be costing you money? If you’re dealing with the issues detailed below, you should ask a plumber to visit your home sooner rather than later.

You Have a Leaky Faucet

Leaks are likely costing you more money than you realize. According to the EPA, 10% of U.S. households suffer from plumbing leaks that waste around 90 gallons of water daily. Major issues like burst pipes are not the only ones contributing to that high number. Even your leaky faucet can cause significant problems.

The amount of water you’re wasting depends on how bad your leaky faucet is. Your household could be wasting thousands of gallons of water every year if even one of your faucets drips one time per second. Now, imagine how much water and money you are wasting if you have multiple leaky faucets or even if faucets that drip faster.

Your Water Waste Is Especially Pricey

According to Plumbing Manufacturers International, leaks account for 13.7% of water use. It’s bad enough that your household is wasting water. Things only get worse once you realize that you are paying more than average for all that water your home is wasting.

Water bills aren’t the same throughout the country. If you live somewhere along the West Coast, you’re likely paying more on average for your water compared to people in other parts of the country. That will be the case even if your rate of consumption is similar. Unless you’re okay with paying a premium to waste water, you need to do something about your plumbing as soon as possible.

You Have a Running Toilet

Are you familiar with the plumbing-related issue known as a running toilet? This particular issue is characterized by water moving continuously from the tank to the toilet bowl. Your toilet is stuck in that mode even if no one using it. Running toilets are bad news because they can waste plenty of water in a short amount of time.

When faced with a running toilet, you want to check specific parts of it such as the toilet handle, the flapper seal, and the fill valve. Those parts can trigger constant running if they are malfunctioning. You may have to repair or replace those parts to return your toilet to normal. There’s nothing wrong with entrusting that job to a plumber if you’ve never administered those repairs before.

Your Drains Are Slow

Following your early morning shower, you may have noticed some water pooling around your floor. It struck you as unusual because the water was covering your feet even though you already turned off the shower. That’s a sign that your drain is working slower than it should. Unfortunately, slow drains are symptomatic of more serious issues.

Drains that work slowly tend to be clogged. In the case of a slow shower drain, the blockage may be caused by loose hair and soap scum collecting somewhere along your pipes. That blockage can impede the proper draining of water. More importantly, it can exert excess pressure that can damage your plumbing system and eventually cause leaks.

This is the kind of plumbing issue that warrants immediate action. By taking action early, you may be able to save your pipes from significant damage and also prevent leaks from forming in the first place. Ask a plumber to drop by your home so they can inspect your slow drain and search for the blockage. You should also ask them to check out your other drains.

Seemingly minor plumbing issues affecting your home can cost you a lot of money. They are more likely to make a sizable dent in your bank account if they persist for a while, so get those issues fixed right away!