The average American household uses about 400 gallons of water a day. Every time you use your faucet, it uses about two gallons of water, give or take. Water that runs when the taps are off can waste countless gallons of water before you notice. Homes lose about 10,000 gallons of water or 180 showers yearly. Where the running water is coming from can change the costs on your bill.

Math on Faucet Drips

The US Geological Study has a drip calculator to show how much water leaks from pipes. One gallon of water equals 15,140 drips, and one liter equals 4,000. Slow-dripping leaks are about 10 drips per minute, which is three liters of water per day. A slow-dripping faucet can waste 347 gallons of water yearly.

A faster drip is 21 liters per day, which is about 2,082 gallons a year. Leaking water from your faucets can cost you about 10% more on your water bill. Other leaks, including pipes under your foundation or showerheads, could cost you even more in wasted water. As the weather cools, the soil may shift rocks that puncture your underground pipes in Albuquerque, NM.

What Does a Leaking Faucet Cost You?

To translate a dripping tap into a monetary loss, it’s about $20 per month. The amount can add up if there are multiple leaks in your home. A pinhole-sized leak in a pipe can be around $600 per month, while bathroom leaks can add another $150 per month.

There are several factors to consider about leaks in your house.

• The world loses 60% of its water through leaking pipes and faucets.
• The US loses over 1 trillion gallons of water yearly.
• Annually, 1 trillion gallons equals about $1 billion.

Fast-Dripping Taps and Showerheads

While the climate in Albuquerque is relatively mild, you still may want to cool down at the end of a long day with a cold shower. However, if your showerhead has a leak, you could be wasting money every time you take a shower.

A fast-dripping faucet or showerhead can drip about 120 times a minute. Showerheads equal 11 gallons a day and 330 gallons a month. Fast-dripping faucets or showerheads can waste 3,960 gallons a year, which adds an extra $6 a month, or $72 a year.

Water Lost From a Running Toilet

Water from a leaky toilet runs directly to the sewer line and could be harder to notice. Our plumbers will check the faucets and toilets during their leak detection inspection. A constantly running toilet wastes about eight gallons an hour, or 200 gallons a day. If you don’t notice a running toilet, it could waste over 6,000 gallons per month. A running toilet alone could cost you an extra $70 per month.

Leaking faucets, showerheads, and toilets are common in the US and globally. Your water bill can change depending on the location of the leaks and how many leaks you have. Our plumbers can check for leaks and fix the issues before they become larger problems. Bathroom or kitchen leaks can cost you money over time, so call us at All-Out-Plumbing today.