Ever wonder how much water is contained in a drop? Well, so did the US Department of Interior, who determined that on a gallon of water contains 15,140 drops.
Well, as the saying goes, that knowledge plus a dollar (or so) will get you a cup of coffee. But hold off on that coffee for just a minute, because now we’re going to get somewhere with this whole dripping water theme.
For starters, any water leak is problematic. Not just in terms of wasted water, but in the amount of damage a steady leak cause to your home and personal possessions. Exactly how much water is a faucet, for example, capable of leaking? Consider the following:
- If a faucet leaks 10 drops of water per minute, that equivalent to 500 gallons per year, or 11 full bathtubs.
- How about if that same faucet is leaking 1 drop per second? Now you’re looking at 3,000 gallons of water or 66 full bathtubs over a year’s time. And that’s a lot of waste.
- According to the EPA, the average household accounts for more than 10,000 gallons of wasted water every year while 10% of all US homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. That all adds up to an estimated 1 trillion gallons of water wasted annually.
So here’s our advice: do whatever’s necessary to repair a leaking pipe, faucet, or showerhead as quickly as you can. Every drop of water saved counts. But for your own sake, there’s more you can do. Periodically, inspect your house and property for these additional signs of a leak:
- Damp areas in your yard where the rest of the lawn is bone dry (could indicate a break in your sewer line)
- Damp or wet areas of carpet over a concrete floor
- The sudden appearance of black mold on a wall or ceiling
- Water dripping for your toilet shut-off valve
- Water puddling around the base of your water heater
- Water on the floor behind your refrigerator, around your dishwasher, under a sink, or anywhere else in your home
- Brown spots on a wall or ceiling
Hidden leaks can cause structural damage to your home, especially if not detected early on. So, don’t guess at the cause if you notice any of the above warning signs. Instead, contact Norhio Plumbing for fast and reliable service. We’ll locate the source of the leak and give you a guaranteed upfront price quote to solve the problem. Need a plumber? Norhio Plumbing is ready to lend a helping hand.
