When it comes to your home’s plumbing, one issue you’re almost always going to encounter at some point is a leaky faucet that starts constantly dripping. For many people, that slow drip, drip, drip is nothing more than a minor annoyance and something they simply ignore. The truth is that the cost of ignoring a leaky faucet, dripping shower or running toilet can be higher than you might think. We will explore the reasons why that is.
Water Waste
Leaky faucet water waste is a bigger problem than most people realize. If a faucet drips once per second, it will waste approximately 3,000 gallons of water in a year. That’s about the equivalent of the average person taking 150 showers. A single faucet that drips once per second will typically only cost you around $10 to $20 per year. If you have multiple leaky faucets and showerheads or a bigger issue like a toilet that frequently runs, the cost of water waste can quickly start to add up. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American household wastes around 10,000 gallons of water per year as a result of leaky plumbing fixtures and pipes.
Water waste increases the workload on municipal water treatment facilities, forcing them to use more energy to provide enough clean water to meet everyone’s needs. In the long term, this leads to rising rates and increasingly high water bills.
Water Damage and Costly Repairs
Leaky faucet costs can extend to areas other than increasing your water bills. Most faucets start dripping or leaking as a result of normal wear and tear that leads to a component like a valve, cartridge, washer or O-ring failure. The concern is that when one component wears out, it sometimes won’t be long before others fail. What starts out as a small drip could suddenly turn into a much bigger problem, such as water constantly leaking out of the base of the faucet.
If this type of problem arises overnight or when no one is home, it can cause extensive flooding in the kitchen or bathroom, damaging the flooring, countertops and cabinets. In this type of situation, you’re usually looking at spending well over $1,000 to repair the damage and restore the bathroom or kitchen to its original condition.
A worn-out cartridge or mixing valve can lead to hot water continuously dripping out of a faucet, resulting in the water heater needing to run more frequently. The increased workload can cause the water heater to break down and need repair or shorten its lifespan so that it needs premature replacement. The more your water heater has to run, the higher your energy bills will be as well.
Environmental Impact
Another thing many people don’t consider when it comes to leaky faucets and other types of plumbing leaks is the impact that water waste has on the environment. Water resources in many parts of the country are already stretched tight, and water waste from leaks only serves to tax these precious resources even further. The more water that gets wasted, the more work treatment facilities have to do and the more carbon emissions they produce. By monitoring for leaks and fixing any as soon as they arise, you can do your part to help conserve water and protect the environment.
How to Know When to Call a Plumber
Fixing a leaky faucet usually isn’t that difficult, but there are situations where the only option is to replace the faucet, or replacement is the more effective long-term solution. Different types of faucets can start leaking or dripping for various reasons.
If you’re not familiar with the different types, it can sometimes be tough to determine which component is responsible for the faucet leaking. There’s also a chance that you can damage the faucet when taking it apart and trying to repair it, resulting in further problems that cause the faucet to leak even more.
While fixing a leaky faucet can be a DIY job, the safer and more effective solution is to call a licensed plumber. Hiring a plumber to repair or replace the faucet isn’t all that expensive and will ensure a prompt fix with no damage.
When you need an experienced, reliable Phoenix, AZ plumber, Reddi Services is the company to turn to. Our family-owned and -operated company has been assisting homeowners since 1957 and can expertly see to your plumbing leak repair needs. With our 24/7 emergency plumbing service, you won’t have to wait to get any major problem resolved.
To schedule an appointment and receive a free service estimate, contact Reddi Services today.
