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.
image courtesy of gualberto107/freedigitalphotos.net
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