A leak in your plumbing can be a drain on your water and on your wallet. In fact, it is estimated that 13.7% of your water bill is water that has been wasted.
As well as costing you money on your bill, leaks and faulty pipes can also cause damage to your home incurring much greater costs. General checks and maintenance can save all this. Now is the time to give your plumbing the once over and check your money is not dripping away. Here are 6 tips to keep the water in your works and your pounds in your pockets.
1) Check for leaks
Check your major appliances for leaks. If you have a water meter this can be a really easy job. Simply turn off all the water in your house then look at your meter. If your meter is moving then you have a fast leak. If it is not moving, leave it ten minutes and check it again. If it has moved you have a slow leak. You can always turn the water off to your home and check the meter again. If you find you have a leak call your water supplier.
2) Clean your guttering
It is not the nicest job in the world. However, cleaning your guttering is a job that can save you some serious water-related bother. Clogged water pipes or drains can divert water under roof tiles and cause damage to the inside of your home. Ideally, gutters need cleaning twice-a-year. Remove all debris but be sure to wear protective gloves as you do not know what surprises you may find! Check over the guttering itself and make sure it is in decent condition. If there is too much work or you are unable to safely use a ladder get professional help.
3) Is the toilet leaking?
The toilet is one of the biggest users of water. A simple trick to see if the tank has a leak is: add some food colouring to the tank (not the bowl). Give it ten minutes, if there is colouring in the bowl there is a leak in the flapper at the bottom of the tank. Usually parts, such as the rubber gaskets, have eroded over time. This is a common problem and easily solved. All you need is to replace the broken parts. There are hundreds of guides on the internet with a step-by-step guide of how to do this. Just make sure you follow step one – turn the water off to the toilet!
4) Have confidence to make repairs
Even some of the most hardened DIY-ers are afraid of the plumbing. Yet, many repairs are alarmingly straightforward. Things like broken boilers and exploding pipes should always be left to the experts. However, things such as leaking taps, faucets and toilets are remarkably easy to fix. The internet is full of easy guides and you can always ask for advice from friends or even staff in DIY stores. The trick to avoiding serious problems is to ensure you know how to turn off the water to what you are fixing. As long as you do that you can save hundreds of pounds in call outs charges and do your own repairs.
5) Buy water efficient technology
Replacing old technology with new more efficient products will save water.
Water-saving models of appliances, such as shower heads, toilets, hose pipes and dishwashers can save gallons of water with little extra effort.
Whatever the products research the water usage and see if you can find something more reliable. It is not a case of going out and spending a fortune. You can just wait till your current appliances reach the end of their life span and make your home more water efficient naturally over time.
6) Monitor your water usage
You can monitor your usage by looking at your water bills and meter. This can be the first sign of any water-related issues. Even if you pay a set water rate it can still pay to make your home water tight. Extra water used can mean extra costs in other areas. More water used can mean using more electricity to heat that water. Water leaks can also damage the property and inflict expensive repairs. In the longer term you may also find it could be cheaper to switch to a water meter.
By Michael Hallam
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