Leaky Faucets: Water Down the Drain and How to Fix It
Posted by Lisa Carey
How much money is going down the drain in your home due to a leaky faucet? Not only can you save money, but you can help the environment to but fixing that drip – and sleep peacefully at night.
Drip, drip, drip. You close your eyes thinking all is quiet and it starts again. Drip, drip, drip. The sound of a leaky faucet is one of the most annoying sounds in a home, but many of us ignore it or tune it out. Some think it would be too expensive to fix the leaky faucet, but just think what costs those little drops of water add up to be in terms of expense to your water bill and the environment.
Have you ever wondered how much water you are wasting and being charged for with your leaky faucet? Try this experiment: Write down the time, place a container underneath the leaky faucet, and leave it there one hour. You may want to set a timer so you remember to go check on your container. Make sure you use one large enough to contain all the water that may be dripping. Measure the water using measuring cups. Count the number of cups or ounces and calculate that into gallons. For example 40 quarts or 128 ounces of water equals one gallon. Did you know that even a small drip can waste up to 50-100 gallons of water a week?
What can you do with 50 gallons of water? You can flush a toilet 8 times, you can take a shower, you can run your dishwasher two times. You could even survive for several days. Did you know you can do without food for 30 days, but you could only survive 5 or 6 days without water? Did you know to stay healthy your body needs 2-3 quarts of water a day?
Let’s think in terms of money, if the average costs of water in your area is .01 a gallon (this doesn’t include the costs of electricity for the transportation of the water to your home) and you lose 400 gallons of water a month, you will lose 4.00 a month, $48.00 a year. But that would be based on a small drip – what if your dripping faucet is in big trouble? That number could triple or more.
Facts and Figures about Water Usage:
A household in the U.S. consumes 47% of the water produced by utility companies.
The average US household consumes about 90 gallons of water a day.
It is estimated that approximately 14% of those 90 gallons are wasted due to faucet, toilet or pipe leaks.
Fixing your leaky faucet usually means taking apart the faucet and replacing the worn out washer inside, however, the repairs depend on the type of faucet you have. If you want to try to do it yourself here are some sites and instructions to help you do the job yourself.
This Old House and DIYNetwork.com: how to fix a faucet instructions for several different types of faucets
Expert Village.com: How to Fix a Leaky Faucet Video
Not a DIY kind of person? Call a local handyman or plumber to get the job done for you.
Fixing a leaking faucet will lower energy bills, lower your water bill, and help conserve water for future use. Don’t let your water and your money go down the drain, fix that leaky faucet.
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