Living Green
Stop That Drip & Put Cash In Your Pocket
By Jathynia Garcia
Water is a finite resource—even though about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, less than 1 percent is available for human use. According to statistics at least 36 states are projecting water shortages between now and 2013. Around 400 million people worldwide are currently facing severe water shortages, according to the United Nations, and by 2050, that number will be 4 billion. It is becoming a luxury when we are flushing the toilet and brushing our teeth.
In these dry times, it’s more important than ever to be sure that you aren’t letting water just drip down the drain, or leak out of your toilet. And it can definitely save you some pennies. According to the Earth Policy Institute, the average prices for water in America is about $2.50 per 1,000 gallons, which is about a quarter of what it costs in some European countries. It doesn’t sound like much, but considering that a leaky faucet can drip 20 gallons a day down the drain, and a leaky toilet 200 gallons. Add that up, and you might as well toss two crisp $100 bills down the drain each year.
Stopping these two leaks is easy, and definitely worth a couple hundred bucks. Try these few tips to verify if you’re flushing money down the drain.
For your faucets, just watch them, or put an empty glass where a drip would fall; if it fills up in a few hours, you’ve got a leak. Your toilet can be a little trickier, as it can be tough to “see” the water you’re wasting; test your toilet by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, and if you see traces of it in the bowl 5-to-10 minutes later, you have a leak. (We recommend calling your local HI-Tech Plumbing technician.)
Now if you find yourself being a pretty handy kind of guy or gal, see our tips for fixing that drip.
Leaky Faucet Repair: 10 Tips to Stop Drips
- Faulty washers are often the culprit. Washers may be replaced but still not fit properly to stop the drip. The best preventive solution is to buy a washer-less faucet.
- Close the faucet tighter to stop the leak temporarily until you are ready to fix it.
- You can stop the sound of dripping water by tying a long string around the end of the faucet. The water will drip on the string and run down silently.
- For a washer type faucet, examine the stem. If the threads are badly corroded replace it. If it’s dirty then clean it.
- Look at the washer, if it is flat or has a groove worn in it, replace it.
- Replace the brass screw if it’s damaged.
- Any faucet that requires a frequent washer replacement has a damaged washer seat. Either reface the seat with a seat dressing tool or replace it.
- Install the correct type of washer. Preferably use a swiveling washer.
- Put silicon grease or petroleum jelly on the threads of the stem to lubricate faucet action.
- If the leak is around the stem and not the spigot, install new packing or O-rings.
If you still find yourself scratching your head after trying these tips, feel free to call us at 561-790-6966. Remember Don’t Fret . . . Just Call Hi-Tech. Hi-Tech plumbing is a plumbing contractor in your local Wellington area who specializes in “green” repairs. For more information visit our website at www.hi-techplumbing.com.