Indoor plumbing is the sort of thing that most people take for granted, only realizing its crucial role in modern life once something happens to go wrong. By taking preemptive measures, homeowners can avoid having to pay for extensive and costly repairs by plumbing contractors. Here are some tips to save more money around the home by stopping leaks and properly caring for your plumbing needs.

Saving Money Around the Home

One may not know it, but a leaky faucet, showerhead, or pipe can actually cost homeowners hundreds if not thousands in water losses every year — not to mention the potential for water damage that can continue to increase costs. A leaky faucet that drips at a rate of one drip per minute has the potential to cost the average household up to 3,000 gallons of lost water every year. It is estimated that half of all U.S. homes have some form of water leakage that can waste up to 90 gallons of water per day or more; a great number of these leaks are due to leaky toilets, faucets, or other unseen sources in the home. Taking measures to correct such leaks can help save significantly on water bills every month. Taking additional steps to cut down on water use is a good way to extend the service life of your home’s water systems. Plumbing contractors suggest starting with the toilet, as continual flushing can add up to nearly 20 gallons per day — retrofitting or filling a toilet’s tank with something to help displace water like a brick can help reduce the number of gallons wasted per flush.

Checking The Pipes

Since spring is just around the corner, many homeowners ought to check out their pipes to ensure that the winter weather hasn’t left any lasting damage. Once outside temperatures dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, pipes with little or no insulation may be subject to freezing, which could potentially break pipes. It has been shown that a crack as small as one-eighth of an inch could spew out over 250 gallons of water in a single day — this is enough to potentially destroy floors, furniture, appliances, and personal items, costing homeowners significant losses as water damage and freezing alone accounts for nearly 22% of all homeowner’s insurance claims with the average of $4,024 per claim. Contacting professional plumbing experts for an annual inspection in the spring could help homeowners stay proactive regarding their plumbing needs.

Sewer Repair and Replacement

It was not until around the 1980s when plumbing contractors ceased to use clay pipes in favor of more durable, less corrosive PVC pipe lines. For this reason, it is recommended that all homeowners that have sewer lines older than 40 years old have local plumbing contractors come out for an inspection, as there may be hidden leaks in one’s sewer line that could be contributing to one’s water bill. Trees are notorious for compromising sewer lines in their continual search for water — old clay sewer pipes are easily penetrated by tree roots which can completely engulf a sewer line within a few months time. Even if one’s home is new, the plumbing itself may be connected to an older pipe; a quarter of Angie’s List respondents said they replaced their sewer with 3% saying it is a project for the near future. Sewer repair and replacement has never been easier thanks to trenchless sewer replacement methods including pipe bursting and pipe lining — these processes utilize the existing line to fully repair or replace one’s sewer with minimal excavation, helping to save homeowners even more money on costly landscaping repair fees. Taking proactive steps towards caring for your home plumbing could be the best way to avoid costly repairs and inflated water bills.