Plumbing - Setting Up a Water Audit

One of the critical parts of any home is the plumbing. This is the one way that water gets in and out of the house. It makes the bathrooms and kitchen useful. It makes taking a shower or fixing lemonade convenient. Is it possible to tell if a family is wasting water? Setting up an audit with a professional gives a homeowner useful feedback that can be used to reduce waste.

Choosing a Professional

When setting up an audit, choose an expert in water conservation to come out to the house. Homeowners can conduct their own audit, but a professional is not just there to provide information. He or she will also be able to offer solutions to the water waste. A plumber knows the ins and outs of the home's system and will be able to spot problems right away.

Basics of a Water Audit

A majority of a water audit involves talking to the homeowner. There are several questions about a family's day-to-day use of the plumbing. The kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms are examined. The audit uses information about how many loads of laundry are done in a day or a week. How many times do the showers run? What is the average length of time a person spends in the shower? Using these numbers, an overall daily, weekly, and monthly usage amount is determined.

Checking for Problems

(Part of a water audit involves looking for specific problems with the plumbing inside of the home. This includes leaks in the pipes or leaks from equipment and utilities like a toilet. Even a leaky faucet can cause a home's water usage to increase. All faucets, shower heads, and toilets are checked to see if they are water-efficient.

Creating Solutions

Bringing a professional to the house gives a homeowner a chance to see just where the water is going. After discussing the problems, a professional presents plumbing solutions. Sometimes these alterations can be costly. Replacing major parts of pipe is a large project to take on.

If there isn't a major problem, that doesn't mean that there aren't changes that can conserve water. Changing a faucet or shower head to something that has less water output is simple and, for most people, affordable. Will this make a huge difference in the water bill the first month? Maybe not. It will make a small change that slightly reduces the bill and prevents water waste.

Other solutions involve changing routines and habits. It isn't necessary to get a new washer. A home doesn't necessarily need a new dishwasher. It could be more water efficient to just make sure that both are filled up before they are started.