Is Your Water Bill Too High?

Is your water bill more than expected? When your bill is higher than normal, it’s important to track down the cause and correct it as soon as possible. Let’s look at the top reasons for a high water bill, and what you can do:

1: Leaky/Running Toilets

Toilets account for about a third of water use for the average home. A running or leaky toilet can waste up to a staggering 24,000 litres per month and add hundreds to a water bill.

2: Leaky Faucets & Fixtures

Leaky faucet fixtures are another common cause of high water bills. A faucet that’s doing one drip per second can waste about 60 litres per day. Thankfully, a leaking faucet is relatively easy to spot and fix.

3: Leaky Equipment

Washing machines, dishwashers, humidifiers or even a water softener could be the cause of increased waste consumption. They’re not top of mind because they are often tucked away out of sight. Be sure to check underneath for telltale leakage signs.

4: Seasonal Water Consumption

A change of seasons often impacts water consumption. Now that it’s mid-winter your consumption would be lower than it would be during the summer, so a higher water bill  is notorious for higher water b bills for a number of reasons:

5. Household Guests

You may not think about it, but one small change in your household situation can have a big impact on your utility bill. For example, adding a new guest/family member to your household. this is especially common during the holidays when kids are on break and back home, or family or friends are staying over.

6: New Water-Consuming Equipment

Did you recently add any new water-intensive equipment to your home such as a humidifier, ice maker or hot tub? These could be the reason why the consumption has increased.

7: Poor Water Use Habits

Lastly, overconsumption or other water use patterns can be adding up to higher bills. These might include using older high use equipment like a top-loading laundry machines, which consume as much as 200% more water than modern, front-loading laundry machines. Not doing a full load of laundry or dishes. Keeping showers less than five minutes can result in up to 3,800 litres of water savings every month. Running water to thaw meats and frozen foods. Washing dishes by hand can be an unexpected way to higher water consumption, often using 5 times more water than the dishwasher would. Finally, leaving the water running while brushing teeth or shaving can add up quickly too.

By limiting water-using behaviors and keeping on top of any leaks or maintenance issues, you can significantly lower your water bill and resource efficiency. To learn more about the many factors that affect your water bill and usage, as well as what you can do to limit your consumption and save money, contact us at:  info@pipemasters.ca or (289) 404 9063. PipeMasters is part of Oakridge Plumbing Ontario Ltd. and serves the East GTA, Durham Region, North to Lindsay & Peterborough, out to Cobourg and all points in between. All Rights Reserved.