Why Is My Water Bill So High?
If you’ve noticed an irregular increase in your water bills recently and don’t know why this is happening, we might have a few ideas. An unexpected change in your water bills most likely has to do with different plumbing issues. You may have a leak occurring or simply have old appliances that lost their efficiency and use up too much water. Sunshine Plumbers is here to give you advice on how to inspect your house for these issues and help give advice on what to do to fix them.
Causes of High Water Bills
Leaky Toilets – Toilets pose as a major leak risk and can waste up to 6,000 gallons per month if they have a leak. That’s a huge weight on your water bill. Luckily, you can easily detect a leak in your toilet by following simple testing procedures. Either:
- Walk up to your toilet and listen for a strange hissing noise; it may be a sign of a leak. Immediately check the tank flapper and seals to adjust anything out of place. Or,
- You can grab some food coloring or a dye tablet and drop it in your toilet tank after you take the lid off. Check your toilet tank in about 15-20 minutes to see if any dyewater is in your toilet bowl. If there is colored water in your toilet bowl, this means you have a leak causing water from your toilet tank to flow to your toilet bowl.
Leaky Washers/Dishwashers – Toilets and faucets aren’t the only things that leak. We have to keep an eye on our washing machines and dishwashers as well. You use it almost every day, but you might not realize if it’s leaking. Check underneath or around it to spot any leaking. Plumber tip: try using a high-efficiency washer. It helps save hundreds of gallons of water and still does the job! Same thing applies for your dishwasher, drift toward appliances that save water and energy.
Lateral Line Leaks – The underground pipes sending water to your home may have a crack or loose joint, caused from reasons varying from pipe age to root intrusions. Calling for a plumbing repair service is the best way to go with these problems. A professional plumber will be able to detect the location of the leak and repair it for you.
Seasonal Water Consumption – The time of year greatly affects the water consumption in the household as well. In the summer, people tend to do outdoor activities and sweat more, leading to frequent showers. Due to the absence of school, children spend more time at home in the summer, which is also a factor that increases water usage.
Additions in the Household – The amount of people increasing in the household also have an effect on the amount of water used per month. If you have family over for vacation or guests are staying at your house for a while, more water will be consumed compared to if it was just the regular people in the house.
As you can see, there are many factors that can affect your water bill, some of which are plumbing issues and others are time-to-time changes in your regular routine. For future plumbing issues that reflect on your water bills, call Sunshine Plumbers for a plumbing repair service and we’ll send a professional to help out.
