Other Important Facts About Water Usage and Water Leaks
Household Leaks and Its Impact
Wasted Water: A typical home wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks alone, which is the amount of water it would take to do 270 loads of laundry. Fix a leak and see the benefits.
National Scale: Household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, equal to the annual household water use of more than 11 million homes.
High Leakage Homes: The estimated 10% of homes with leaks waste 90 gallons or more per day. That totals over 32,850 gallons in a year-sufficient to fill the typical backyard swimming pool. Homes with such harsh leaks may also have structural damage, increased water bills, and further strains on local water supplies.
Usual Suspects: Leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and faulty valves are some of the common causes of leaks, but they are usually easy to repair. Most homeowners can fix a leak–––without being a do-it-yourselfer. Fix a leak and see the benefits.
Fixing a Leak and Enjoy The Benefits
Save on Water Bills: Leaks can save householders up to about 10% on their water bill. For an average household, the savings could be around $50–$100 every year. Quick leak prevention will save one person from this hidden consumption of water, which, if unchecked for years, will lead to higher bills. In some regions, water utilities might even offer rebates for upgrading to water-efficient fixtures as a reduction in leaks.
Simple Fixes: Dripping faucets, leaky showerheads, and broken toilet flappers can often be fixed with inexpensive parts, usually costing under $20. These simple repairs can prevent thousands of gallons of water waste each year. For example, fixing a dripping faucet saves up to 3,000 gallons annually, while replacing a faulty toilet flapper can stop a leak that wastes over 200 gallons of water per day. Most of these repairs can be completed in under an hour with basic tools. You don’t have to be a DIY to fix a leak.
Retrofitting with WaterSense-Labeled Fixtures:
Installing WaterSense-labeled fixtures or high-efficiency appliances when possible can help you avoid the most common leaks while using dramatically less water. WaterSense-labeled faucets and showerheads can reduce flow by 20% or more without sacrificing performance and save the average family nearly 700 gallons per year. Every WaterSense-labeled toilet saves 13,000 gallons per year, and if applied to each household throughout the US, water retrofits like this could save roughly 520 billion gallons per year. Additionally, many of these upgrades qualify for rebates/incentives offered by local water utilities. So fix a leak by replacing old, worn-out faucets.
Install a Leak Detection Device
Setting up a leak detector, like the Flo by Moen, on your plumbing is an excellent proactive move in protecting your home against water damage. Smart devices monitor water usage in real-time, detecting small leaks and alerting you via a mobile app. Advanced systems can automatically shut off the water supply in cases of a major leak and save you from costly repairs due to flooding. Fix a leak and start saving!
Beyond protection, leak detection systems are helping you save money by finding inefficiencies. These excessive uses could potentially lower your water bills by up to 10%. They encourage sustainability so water is not wasted, hence a perfect solution for environmentally conscious homeowners. With smart home systems, seamless integrations with many devices, like the Flo by Moen, are achieved, and water waste is managed.
Monitor Water Usage to Detect a Leak
Check your water usage for leaks. The most common way to detect an unseen leak is through your water bill. If you see any unusual costs, then it’s time to check for a water leak. Any homeowner can check for a leak without calling a plumber.
- First, be thorough and turn off all the water in your home.
- Second, your water meter in most homes is located near the street, now remove the lid. You may want to spray for spiders and insects.
- Then, be thorough and turn off all the water in your home.
- Next, pull the up on the lid to the meter. Most meters have a leak-detection dial that is either a triangle, star, or an arrow that spins when water is running. So, with everything turned off in the home and you see a spinning dial, then you have a leak.
- Wait, don’t stop there! Locate your landscaping on and off valve and turn it off. If the leak detection dial stops, then the leak is in your landscaping. If it continues, your leak is in your home.
Toilet Test: Another test is to put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank; if the color has seeped into the bowl in 10 minutes or less w/o flushing, you have a leak. Flush afterward to avoid staining.
Common Leak Locations and Fixes
Dripping Faucets: A single faucet drip a second can add up to more than 3,000 gallons of water lost in just one year. Generally, drip conditions are common where washers and gaskets have worn out and need replacement. If replacing a faucet, choose one bearing the WaterSense label for efficiency. Be proactive and fix a leak.
Leaky Showerheads: A leaking showerhead that wastes 10-drip-per-minute can squander over 500 gallons per year. To fix, tighten the connection with pipe tape and a wrench, or replace it with a WaterSense-labeled showerhead.
Toilets With Faulty Flappers: One frequent cause of toilet leaks is a flapper worn or coated with minerals. Replacement of this inexpensive part is usually a quick DIY fix.
Replace an older toilet with a WaterSense-labeled model, and a family can save up to 13,000 gallons per year. That will equate to saving money on water over time.
Outdoor Irrigation Leaks
Check for freezing damage to irrigation systems and check for leaks each spring. A leak the size of a dime can waste 6,300 gallons of water in just one month. Consider hiring a certified WaterSense irrigation expert to assess your system and ensure it’s running efficiently.
Garden hoses: Look for leaks in hoses where they attach to a spigot. Replace worn washers at the connection and tighten with pipe tape and a wrench to eliminate drips.
Take Action, and Don’t Wait Until March to Fix a Leak
The smallest and most effective changes to conserve water, lower utility bills, and protect the environment include fixing leaks. Take small steps to ensure your plumbing works effectively by checking your home for repairs that are easy and relatively inexpensive to make. If the problem is larger or more complicated, consider contacting a professional for assistance. Water is a precious resource—don’t let it go to waste.
