9 Reasons Your Water Bill May Have Increased

1/4/2021 (Permalink)

Water can be wasted in your home; find out how to prevent this and save your wallet.

OF all our utility bills, water usually tends to be one of the more consistent - after all, we tend to shower by routine, and wash up by habit.

Our needs do not tend to vary wildly as they do with the heat in winter, for example.

But sometimes we can get a nasty shock when we get the water bill and find a sudden jump in the cost – and a leak is usually the culprit, especially if it has gone unnoticed for a while.

Here are nine of the top reasons your water bill may have jumped – and what you can do about it.

• Running Toilet - Easy to overlook as it is not causing any damage – and especially if it is a little-used one ion the basement or a spare room bathroom – but a toilet continually running can add up to 330 liters of water a day to your bill that you literally flushed down the loo.

• Leaky Faucets or Valves - A drip a second can soon add up to 20 liters a day – as well as annoying, it is expensive. Get the tap fixed.

• Summer Fun - While many people’s water use is pretty constant, you may be a seasonal consumer – do you sprinkle the lawn and flowerbeds or do you have a pool? These will boost your bills, but at least it is a conscious choice.

• Water Softeners – these gizmos can add a hefty chunk of change to your bills depending on their settings and how often they recharge.

• Furnace Humidifier – if this is set too high it can cause problems as the drain can become blocked and cause a leak.

• Old Heaters – These do not last forever, especially in hard water areas, and it can be worth checking them for leaks at the base periodically. If it is tucked away in the basement it is easy to overlook.

• Appliances – like heaters, our dishwashers and washing machines wear out. Leaks can occur, often hidden from sight. Check them regularly and replace them when they are worn out.

• Outdoor Leaks – Is there a leaky hose dripping away, or a puddle that never seems to disappear even in the height of summer? Signs you could be pouring water away without realizing it.

• Underground Leaks – perhaps the worst of all, as you often will have no clue about it until a nasty bill arrives, and also the repair most likely to need professional attention.