Plumbing: Stop Wasting Your Water

When many people think of plumbing, they think of clogged toilets or sinks and not much more. But the field is far larger and more expansive than that. The concept applies to every facet of your water system. From running water to the pipes that create a labyrinth inside your walls, they all interact to provide you with some of modern society's most convenient applications. But they can also provide you with an expensive bill at the end of the month. If you're tired of seeing your water bill climb with every passing year, there may be some things you can do to bring this climb to an end. At the same time, you'll be doing the environment a favor.

Few people think of calling out a plumbing professional unless something has gone wrong. While this is far from unusual, you could be missing out on some of the benefits of proper care and maintenance. No small number of homeowners are afflicted with what plumbers call "hidden leaks". These are leaks that don't make themselves obvious through water damage or "drip-drip" sounds. Eventually they will, but in the meantime they are simply wasting water. How do you know if you have a hidden leak? One way is to monitor your meter. Check the meter, note the number, and then make it a point to not turn on the water or flush the toilet for an hour or two. Check the meter again. If it has gone up, it could be a sign of one of these hidden leaks. Fixing the problem will conserve water.

Another fine way to conserve water is to move to a lower pressure system. This doesn't involve changing out all the plumbing in your home. In fact, there are many devices for sale that will reduce the water pressure in your shower and on your faucets. Low pressure, efficient toilets are sold at hardware stores around the country. You may be thinking that this is the last thing you want to do. After all, we've all had the displeasure of dealing with anemic water flow. You don't have to get into weak territory, however, to save on water usage. Just a small tweak can make a big difference.

Finally, don't wait when it comes time to address repairs. Plumbing repairs are often easy to fix and it can be done in the matter of an afternoon. Some can even be done without the help of a professional. So why, then, are you putting it off? If you have a faucet that has been dripping for the last three months, fix it! It could be as simple as replacing a gasket. It will cost you less than five dollars to do such a repair. Other repairs will obviously be more costly, but could save on water waste and further expensive damage being done in your home.