April 18, 2018
High Water Bill?
What would you guess is the number-one user of water in your home? Your washing machine? The dishwasher? The bathtubs and showers? Well, you may be surprised to know that the toilet actually outranks them all.
According to the Water Research Foundation, toilet flushing in an average household uses about 33 gallons of water per day. That’s about a quarter of a household’s average daily water usage.
If your toilets use this much water per day when they are working well, how much water will they use when something goes wrong?
The Cost of a Running Toilet
Many homeowners here in the Lawton area are surprised when they find out just how much water (and money) a running toilet can waste each day. A toilet that runs due to a stuck flapper, caught chain, or worn-out parts can waste about 200 gallons of water per day. That’s 6,000 gallons of water every month!
You may not see all of that wasted water flowing down your sewer lines, but you could see an extra $70 on your water bill at the end of the month — all because of one running toilet.
Keep Your Toilets Running Efficiently
If you’re seeing unusually high water bills, be sure that your toilets are leak-free and running as efficiently as possible. Toilet leaks aren’t always easy to identify. One simple way to test a toilet for leaking is to add a few drops of food coloring to the bowl and then wait half an hour. If the color in the bowl has diluted in that time, then you know you have a leak.
The leak could be caused by a faulty flapper or floater — in which case it is a simple fix — or it could indicate that it’s time to replace your toilet. When in doubt, it’s always best to consult a plumbing professional who can help you diagnose the issue and/or upgrade to a new, water efficient toilet.
Trust the Plumbing Experts at Pippin Brothers
Need help with a toilet repair? Want to find out how you can lower your water bill? You can rely on the experts at Pippin Brothers. We help Oklahoma homeowners resolve their plumbing issues and identify ways to conserve water and energy. So whether running water is causing your utility bills to skyrocket, or you have a plumbing issue that you just can’t get to the bottom of, Contact Us or give us a call at 580-699-5660 and let us evaluate your systems.
