Many factors may contribute to a higher-than-usual water bill, but if the situation goes unchecked, you may be facing costly repairs as well. It’s vital to get to the bottom of a high water bill as soon as possible. Here’s what we recommend:
Check for Leaks
Toilets are huge offenders when it comes to water leaks. Parts wear out and seals break. It may also be that your toilet tank is filling too high, and you’re losing water out the overflow tube every time somebody flushes. If your toilets seem sound, follow along water lines and look for water where the floor or basement should be dry. You may also have a leak underground where the service line runs into your home. Look for wet, squishy areas in your lawn.
Inspect Faucets
A dripping faucet can waste up to a gallon of water every day, and that’s only one faucet in one sink, tub or shower. If your home features older plumbing that’s cranky all over, you could easily be losing two or more gallons of water a day just to drips.
Reprogram Your Irrigation System
Home irrigation systems can use excessive water during hot, dry spells. You may have to reprogram yours if it’s a newer system that’s calculating the moisture levels in your soil and turning the sprinklers on accordingly, especially if your area is experiencing a drought.
Suspect Your Water Softening System
If you have very hard water, and you recently installed a home water softening system, this could be the culprit as well. Although, because water softeners tend to raise water bills in general, it may not be a malfunction that’s causing the problem, but the amount of water the system needs to operate as intended. It may still be a good idea to call in a plumber, however, and have the system inspected. There may be ways to make it run more efficiently.
If you notice your water bill is unusually high, don’t wait for the next one to come before you act. If you have a leak underground or inside a wall, the damage it causes over the course of 30 days could be extensive. In the San Antonio area, be safe and call North East Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Heating as soon as you suspect a problem.
