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Lowering Your Water Bill One Leak at a Time

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Melbourne Plumber

Paying bills is tough enough, but when you think your water bill has gone up more than it should have, it might be time to hire a plumber to do leak detection. Leaks can occur in the plumbing inside or outside the home, in any area where there are pipes. When the water leaks, even if it’s just a little bit, it can dramatically impact your water bill, which will stay high until the leak gets fixed. Finding the leak as soon as possible means your water bill will decrease to what it should be, and the new pipes will work again like they should. When you have a leak, you are literally throwing money down the drain.

Indoor Leaks

It can be easy to detect a leak is inside the home that has an impact on your living standards. For example, when you feel a significant decrease in the pressure of your shower or your sink faucets it is probably because of a leak in the pipes. Other noticeable issues are water damage to floors, ceilings, or walls. It’s important to understand that just because you see damage, that doesn’t mean a broken pipe is in that location. Water likes to travel and this is no different with leaks.

If after flushing the toilet you have to jiggle the handle to get the water to stop, this is a leak. Although it may seem minimal, this can lead to a considerable amount of water loss over time. It is usually the fault of a faulty or worn flapper valve. Both bathroom and kitchen faucets can leak, and this usually means you have a rubber washer that is worn or damaged.

Outdoor Leaks

Many homes in Melbourne, Florida that have pools have a higher chance of getting an outdoor leak. These can be hard to detect when the pool system automatically adds water when the level drops below a certain point. When this happens, since the water a pool holds is so great, it can instantly be noticed on the water bill. Outdoor leaks can also occur underground in the pipes and sometimes they can be seen by wet spots on the ground where there shouldn’t be any. Like leaks in the home, the spot where you see water may not always be where the leak is, since water can flow a considerable distance from the leak.

When to Call a Plumber

If you notice your water bill has increased, see proof of a leak by damage to ceilings or walls, or you can actually see a leak, it’s time to call a plumber. They can start by evaluating the situation and begin to rule things out until they know the main areas to look. They may look for damage to structures or sweating pipes or a number of other indicators they are trained to find. A professional plumber has done this numerous times for clients in houses and buildings and they can find leaks quickly and repair them fast, saving you money.