If you’re water bill is higher than normal, there are most likely some simple solutions. The average person in the U.S. uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day. If your average daily consumption seems higher than normal, it could be because of an undetected leak in your home. There is a very easy way to determine if you have a water leak in your home. The first step in order to determine if you have a water leak in your home start by checking your meter. This is usually found near your water heater or main shut-off value. To check for a water leak make sure no water is in use and then look at your meter to see if the red dial is moving. If the red dial is moving, and you have made sure no water is in use, you most likely have a water leak. The next step is determing where the leak is coming from.
Here are some possible sources for your high water bill:
Leaking Toilet Flappers
If you aren’t familiar with this term, a toilet flapper is a large rubber plug at the bottom of your toilet tank. If you are hearing a dripping sound from your toilet, this is likely caused by a problem with your toilet flapper. In order to determine if you have a water leak caused by your toilet flapper you can use a simple DIY method. Use a small amount of food coloring and drop it into the tank. After about 30 minutes check your toilet bowl for colored water without flushing. If the water is colored, you have a leaking flapper.
Overflow Toilet Leaks
Water could being wasted if the water in your toilet tank is leaking into the top of the overflow pipe. There is also an easy DIY way to test if this is happening. Use pepper or baby powder and shake it onto the walls of the toilet tank. If the pepper or powder moves to the center, the overflow is leaking. If you’re not sure on how to fix this problem, your local Anthem, AZ plumber can help with stopping this leak.
Outside Bibs and Faucets
Extreme temperatures can cause bibs and faucets to fail. Make sure to check for leaks around these. While you’re at it, another good thing to check would be your sprinkler settings if you have automatic sprinklers. Check these settings to make sure they are not running for too long of periods.
Dripping Sinks
If you have a leak/drip coming from a sink faucet you will probably notice an increase in your water bill. In fact, a leaking faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can use more than 3,000 gallons of water per year!
Ice-machine Problem
If you have a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker, there is a chance that the increase in your water bill could be caused from that. Your refrigerator uses a water line to make ice, and sometimes automatic ice makers can draw too much water if it is malfunctioning.
Hot Water Heater Tank
Make sure your hot water heater isn’t leaking. If there is water running down the side of your tank, the pressure valve may not be working properly, and you should call your Anthem, AZ plumber to get it fixed.
Appliances
Appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines can get leaky connections. If you notice water on the floor around either of these appliances be sure the check the connections right away or give your Anthem, AZ plumber a call!
Save money on your water bill when you fix leaks in your home.
If you have a high water bill and can’t find the source of the leak or if you need help with the fix, our team of professional plumbers are ready to help!
