The Answer Guide

Why Should I Worry About Leaks?

Do I need to worry about small leaks?
How much water is wasted from leaks?
Are some leaks invisible?

Slow water leaks are rarely urgent. In fact, you can get by for years without fixing them. Yet, you will not get by without paying. Water leaks are like a hidden tax. You pay and pay. It’s sort of like the old oil filter commercial. The difference is you can pay us now or pay the utility later… and keep paying and paying and paying. Repairing water leaks is an investment . It’s a minor investment that typically offers a better return than any bank

A Few Facts

• Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine, a plumbing industry trade magazine, reports that water leaks account for 14% of the water used in the typical home.
• Leaking toilets alone can account for 30 to 500 gallons of water every day. This can easily add up to an extra $1,000 to your water bill every year according to Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine.
• A small leak of 1/32” diameter (less than 1 millimeter) can waste 74 thousand gallons of water in a year. This is more water than two people would typically use in a year.

What Will You Check?

Depending on your home and the condition of your plumbing system, there are different levels of diagnostic evaluation. At a minimum, we recommend checking for leaks with every faucet, shower head, and toilet. It is possible to make some checks visually. Others require the use of special dyes, acoustic sensing, and additional diagnostic measurements. The diagnostic involves a small charge to pay our plumber for his time. Leak diagnostics should be performed annually. They are included with a plumbing service agreement

How Much Will Repairs Cost?

Remember leak repairs save more money than they costs. If you home is typical, you can easily estimate how much water leaks cost by dividing your water bill by seven. If the leak involves hot water, double the cost to account for the added energy costs from heating the water. Actual repair costs will be determined following the diagnostic. Some, simple repairs may be made during the course of the diagnostic. Others are more involved. Leak repairs are typically modestly priced and usually less than the annual cost of the leak. Before beginning any work we will, of course, provide you with an exact cost up front.

What Else Can I Do?

Repairing leaks is only one way to save water. We can significantly reduce water consumption by replacing old toilets with new, efficient, water saving toilets. Our designer line of reduced flow, high pressure shower heads are another easy way to effortlessly reduce water consumption and cut heating and water utility expense.

© 2005 Service Roundtable