Plumbing leaks can hit your water bills – hard. I’ve lived in homes serviced by wells and municipal water systems. Wells are great, except when the power goes out. Then you have no water. Currently I’m on a municipal system and still use a water softener, so the two are not mutually exclusive.
If you have a slow leak or a toilet that runs due to a bad flapper valve or some other minor problem, letting it run can seriously affect your water bill. In my area, for every unit of water that I use, the related sewer charge is double the price of the water. A small leak can add up to big bucks in a short time.
I had a client with a functioning but unused toilet in the basement. The new purchasers did their walk through and apparently somebody used that toilet after the owner had moved out but before closing. The flapper didn’t seal all the way, causing a continuous flow of water. As luck would have it, closing was delayed for a couple of days and when the final water bill came, it was a doozy! Over $600!
Many of us know somebody that went away on vacation, or for the winter, and experienced a water leak. Usually these are more catastrophic than a large utility bill, but here’s a device that can help you. It’s called a flow sensor and it can be hooked up to a specific line or fixture, or it can be installed on the main line to shut off all water to your home. For a reasonable investment (under a few hundred dollars, parts and labor) it gives you an added layer of security.
Many alarm companies also provide water sensors that detect standing water on the floor, usually in the basement. Just like an intruder alarm, you’ll get a call, text or email about the problem if the sensor trips. There are also stand-alone models that you can install yourself should a pipe burst in the middle of the night.
The linked article gives some other great tips on how to proactively prevent plumbing leaks.
photo courtesty gualberto107/freedigitalphotos.net
Comments(3)