You have likely experienced the annoying sound of a faucet that won’t stop drip… drip… dripping. Not only is the rhythmic sound irritating, a leaking faucet can increase your water bill significantly and lead to costly water damage, so you do not want to ignore it.
Ten drips per second from a leaking faucet equates to 43 gallons per month or 526 gallons per year. At 30 drips per minute, you’re watching 1,577 gallons of water dripping down your drain over the course of a year. Just think about how many glasses of water, showers, or pots that much water could have been used for over a year!
A small leak can send three gallons of water down the drain a day. Leave it that way for a year, and you will have wasted enough water to fill a swimming pool. And, you will have added hundreds of dollars to your annual water bill. A bigger faucet leak could waste more than 30 gallons of water a day. Do the math and you won’t like the number.
A dripping faucet allowed to continue leaking can lead to bigger problems including structural damage, mold, and electrical risks to name just a few issues. This is why you will want to fix it right away.
Finding the Source of Leaks
In addition to actually seeing and hearing the “drip, drip, drip” here are a few tips for identifying the source of those frustrating leaks:
High Water Usage in Winter
Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are likely serious leaks.
Water Meter
Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes in any way, you probably have a leak.
Food Coloring Test
Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak.
Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment is finished to avoid staining the tank.
Gaskets and Pipe Fittings
Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
Common Causes of a Leaky Faucet
From diagnosis to repair, having a basic understanding of the plumbing systems within the home and what may be causing leaks is beneficial.
Let’s look at some of the most common causes of a leaky faucet to help you troubleshoot the problem:
Worn-Out O-ring
An O-ring is a small rubber ring located around the valve stem. Through regular use of your faucet, these can become loose or damaged over time.
Corroded Valve Seat
The valve seat connects the faucet to the spout. If a leak appears to be coming from the spout, it likely is due to a corroded valve seat.
Water sediments can build up and corrode the valve seat, causing a leak.
You can help avoid this situation by having a licensed technician thoroughly remove corrosion during regularly- scheduled plumbing maintenance.
Worn Washer
A loose or damaged seat washer is the most common cause. The seat washer can become loose due to repeated usage.
When the water is turned on, the washer is pushed against the valve seat. Over time, this repetitive motion causes the washer to wear out.
Worn-Out Cartridge
If you have a single-handle faucet you lift up or down, then you probably have a cartridge faucet. This design is a little more complicated internally, and the inlet and outlet seals can wear out and require replacement. Or, the cartridge itself may need to be replaced.
Stop Leaks Early
Water leaks from a dripping faucet are annoying and expensive. They cost you in wasted resources and higher utility bills.
Being aware and doing something about it as soon as you can will always be better than simply putting it off for another day.
The problem with drips is they generally worsen over time, so don’t compound the problem by waiting.
We Help Homeowners
Flader Plumbing and Heating is uniquely suited to assist you in determining the solution that best fits your home and family’s needs. We’ve been serving your neighbors and our community for over 100 years and 4 generations.
The Flader Difference
Only Flader Plumbing and Heating delivers:
- The most responsive service. We’re here for you 24/7.
- Personal attention from certified and licensed technicians.
- The most dependable equipment and parts.
- Money-saving maintenance agreements.
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Reliability
Flader Plumbing and Heating recommends equipment, models, and brands proven to have the fewest problems and service calls. We specialize in:
Comprehensive Services
Whether you’re looking to rid your home of an irritating leak, need a new water heater or A/C system, we are knowledgeable and provide expert service. Our professional technicians arrive on time, listen to your concerns, and answer your questions. They will recommend the right solution and deliver as promised.
Flader technicians average 15 years of experience and are EPA certified.
Expert service, quality parts, and satisfaction guaranteed. There is no reason to compromise. Call us at 847-491-6980.
