How to Keep Your Family’s Water Bill Down

Water bills can really put a damper on your home’s finances, especially if you have leaks and inefficient appliances costing you more. Fortunately, keeping your family’s water bill down doesn’t have to be difficult, and with a few tips in mind, you can help keep it low.

1. Repair Leaks

Most leaks tend to be relatively easy to fix, and they can save you nearly 10% on your monthly water bills. Some of the easiest to fix leaks are things like leaky faucets and workout toilet flappers, and you can usually take care of them yourself. However, if you’re unsure about tackling the job yourself, or if you have more significant leaks, you may want to call in a plumber just to make sure that the job is done right. Having a professional do it can also let you know if there are any other problems occurring that you may not have noticed.

2. Replace Old Pipes

Corrosion is a huge issue, and it even costs each branch of the armed services over $5 billion every year. Corroded pipes aren’t just bad for your water bill, but they can also be bad for your health if they are introducing things like rust into your drinking water. Even more significant is corrosion in pipes made from galvanized iron, which can poison your water system when it begins to corrode and rust by introducing lead into your system. Lead is dangerous to your health, even in small doses, and ingesting it can cause a range of symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, headaches, blue gums, abdominal pain, reproductive problems, and many more.

If you have old corroded pipes, don’t take chances and have them replaced to save you money both on your water bill and on your healthcare.

3. Install an Efficient Toilet

Toilets can be one of the biggest sources of costly water bills and your money can go quite down the drain quickly. In fact, according to the EPA, toilets are one of the main sources of water usage, accounting for nearly 30% of a home’s water bill. Installing an efficient toilet can help save you money due to the lower amount of water required for it to function. In some cases, this can be as much as 20% less than traditional toilets.

If you’re looking to save money on your water bill, replacing your toilet is something to keep in mind. However, while waiting for a new toilet to be installed, you may need a backup while the renovations are completed. A single portable toilet can be enough for groups of up to 50 people, and a small one can certainly be something to consider if your bathroom remodel and toilet installation is going to take more than a day.

4. Reduce How Much You Use Your Garbage Disposal

Some people like to run their garbage disposal after every wash. However, this requires a lot of water, and no matter how much you run it, bits of food will still accumulate in the drain requiring removal. Instead, limit how much goes into your garbage disposal and try to run it as seldom as possible to save you money and a lot of plumbing problems.

If you are looking for ways to lower your family’s water bill, keep these four tips in mind so that you can cut costs in half without having to sacrifice comfort or efficiency. Not only is limiting water waste good for the environment and your wallet, but when it comes to replacing old pipes, it can also be good for your health.