Are you noticing an increase in your water bills recently? Are the drip drip drip noises from your faucets driving you crazy? Have you been told that you need to do water line repair or do drain repair? A plumber can help with all these plumbing issues and more! When it comes to plumbing, unless you have prior plumbing experience, it’s best to leave these kinds of matters in the hands of a professional. For every successful DIY plumbing story, there’s horror stories about bigger messes made and the need to call a plumber in anyway to fix an even bigger mistake that’s more costly than the original issue. A plumber might also be able to advise you on what kind of appliances you should be getting for the best water conservation and energy efficiency ratings — since they often have a handle in installing these, they see the most popular models that people are purchasing and using. Do yourself a favor and get the number of a good plumber to keep in your back pocket.
How Much Water Are We Even Wasting?
It’s staggering the amount of water that slips through the cracks without us even noticing. When we run the water to heat it up — for our showers, dishes, etc., — we actually wind up wasting over 9,000 gallons of water annually. Heating this extra 9,000 gallons that isn’t even used accounts for about 15% of our annual water heating costs! Just under 40% of the water usage in the average home comes from how often we flush our toilets.
If you’ve got a leaky faucet, consider that just that one faucet has the potential to fill an eight-ounce glass in 15 minutes, send 180 gallons of water a month down your drain, and waste over 2,100 gallons in a year! If there are two drips a minute, a gallon (or more!) of water a month is being wasted. These are all little measures that we probably don’t even notice we’re wasting, but they can add up.
Okay, How Can I Minimize How Much Water I’m Wasting?
Calling a plumber to fix any leaks, repair broken water lines or pipes, and installing new appliances can help you take steps towards minimizing your water waste. If you install a low-flush toilet, you could be saving as much as 18,000 gallons of water every year. Getting more efficient shower heads and faucets can also help reduce your water consumption.
Having a plumber come fix leaks in your bathroom and kitchen can also help you cut down on your water usage and cut your bills down, as mentioned above. Also be more conscious of when you’re leaving water running. We often don’t even realize that we’ve left the water running, but that can really add up. If you’re sudsing up your dishes, for example, turn the water off until you need to rinse them!
How Can I Find a Good Plumber to Help Me?
Having a good plumber on hand is incredibly useful and saves you time when you do have a plumbing issue. Instead of having to search for one, you can simply call him or her up. One of the best ways to find a good plumber is to ask friends or family members for referrals and recommendations — if they’ve been satisfied with someone’s work, the chances are higher that you will as well!
There are also certain websites that focus on compiling lists of certified handymen with reviews, so those are also another good resource to use when searching. Don’t be afraid to interview a few different plumbers and ask what kinds of services they offer, what their rates tend to be, and what their success rate has been.
Do yourself a favor and don’t try and do your plumbing fixes or installations yourself. The cost might be a little higher, but you know that your plumbing needs are being taken care of by a professional and that the project will be finished in a timely manner. Let a plumber help you with your water conservation measures!