When it comes to your home’s utility bills, you can find that you fall into a set routine where you can reasonably expect what each bill will cost monthly. This degree of regularity helps you manage and stay within your budget and keep your home in order. However, when one of those bills starts to rise unexpectedly, it can throw your entire home out of balance when it comes time to pay your bills. Slow drains, running toilets, and issues with your drain lines indicate that you have underlying problems that are likely behind your rising water bill.
The rising costs of your suddenly out-of-control water bill can have a few likely causes, but you need to know what to look for to diagnose the ongoing problems properly. With your home plumbing system operating as a complex system with multiple moving parts, understanding the most likely trouble spots affecting your overall efficiency becomes critical for homeowners.
Leaky Faucets
While on the surface, one leaky faucet may not seem like a significant problem, the amount of water that you can waste in a day tells a different story. A single leaky faucet can waste upwards of 20 gallons of water per day if it’s left unaddressed. The heavier the leak, the more water gets wasted and the higher your bill rises.
Outdated Fixtures
Whether in your kitchen or bathroom, your fixtures play an essential role in your home’s overall water efficiency. Older homes may feature older water fixtures that haven’t been updated in years that have benefited from updated technology and improved water efficiency. Adding new fixtures to your home can help bring your water bills back down to their normal levels in no time.
Seasonal Water Consumption Changes
Sometimes a higher than usual water bill does not have anything to do with faulty parts or outdated fixtures — it’s all about the time of year. You may be using the sprinkler system more often during the summer months, while the winter means you may spend more time at home or have more company over. With more people in your household, the more likely it is for the water usage to start spiking.
Bad Water Conservation Habits
The hows and whys behind personal water consumption vary from person to person. Some people emphasize conserving water and not using more than necessary. Others may have become more accustomed to practicing poor water management habits resulting in higher than average water bills. Unnecessarily long showers, overwatering their landscapes, and keeping the water running while brushing their teeth might seem like minor transgressions; however, they start to add up throughout a billing cycle.
Sewer Line Leaks
For homeowners noticing sudden spikes in their water bills, one area that they may not immediately think of is the possibility of an issue with their sewer lines. A significant leak in your sewer lines can lead to significant spikes in your water bill and the potential for water damage throughout your property. A professional sewer camera inspection can prove beneficial.
Getting your sewer system looked at can help to identify these problems quickly. A trained plumber can determine whether repairing or replacing your sewage line will address your lingering plumbing problems. Sewer line repairs can help bring your system — and your bills — back into balance.
Call Our Team for Your Plumbing Needs
Homeowners shouldn’t have to worry about their water bills randomly going through the roof and accept it as a fact of life. Taking a proactive approach to addressing the issues that lead to skyrocketing water bills means you call in the professionals to take a closer look with an in-depth line inspection or checking out your fixtures. Our specialists are here to help with your plumbing needs! For more information, contact us today.