How Much is My Running Toilet Costing Me?
Is your toilet running? That question isn’t just the beginning of a few million prank phone calls. It’s also a question you should ask yourself if you’re looking to slash your water bill or avoid some expensive home repairs. Small leaks aren’t just a minor annoyance. CA Mechanical LLC Plumbing & Heating knows from experience that those little drips and drops can add up to big headaches later.
Leaks and Water Waste
Even seemingly minor leaks waste a lot of water. Your toilet is a prime culprit simply because it accounts for so much of your water usage — about 26%, according to one source. If you have a new toilet that meets the 1.6 gallon per flush federal mandate and flush an average of five times per day, that’s eight gallons per day just from one source. Figure in your time showering, washing your hands, and the water you’re using for cooking daily and the amount of water you’re using might surprise you.
What’d surprise you even more is how much water’s going down the drain with no help at all from you. Leaks from toilets, dishwashers, and faucets account for 200 or more gallons per day in the average home. If that seems high, try a little experiment. If your faucet has a slow drip — even one drip per second — put a gallon jug under it. One drip per second will fill that jug in a little more than four hours, so you’re wasting between five and six gallons per day. And that’s just one sink!
Toilets are even worse, since you don’t always hear the leak. You can buy dye tablets (similar to the ones you use to dye Easter eggs) or squirt blue food coloring into your tank, and if you see a color change in the bowl after a few minutes, you’ve got a leak. A slow leak wastes hundreds of gallons of water per day, tacking thousands onto your water bill over time.
Preventing Water Waste
There are a few things you can do to save water and lower your water bills. First, if you’re using an older toilet, change to a newer and more efficient model. You won’t have to worry about leaks, and you’ll also be using much less per flush. The cost to fix a leaky toilet or install a new toilet can easily pay for itself in the first year.
Second, spot-check your faucets. Leave pots in your kitchen and bathroom sinks. If you’re seeing water in them — especially if they’re overflowing by the time you get home from work — replacing those will also save you money longer-term.
Third, check other culprits. Your dishwasher, water heater, and washing machine can also waste water. Not sure what to look for? Call us and we’ll help.
Why Does This Matter, Really?
Maybe you don’t particularly care about the added money on your water bill, or even the environmental impact. Bear in mind that left unattended, those leaks can also cause damage to vanities, cabinets, floors, ceilings, and finished basements.
Now do we have your attention?
Fixing Leaky Plumbing
CA Mechanical LLC Plumbing & Heating is your one stop for New Jersey plumbing repair. Call us at 973-417-1589. We can fix your leaking toilet, dripping faucets, and leaky drains so you can turn your attention to more pressing matters.