Household leaks can waste a lot of money and water, to the tune of more than one trillion gallons of water nationwide each year, from visible faucet drips to silent toilet leaks. However finding and fixing leaks can be quick and easy.
Get in the habit of checking your whole house for leaks at least twice a year. You’re probably already checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice annually so consider adding “check for leaks” to the list. In less than 30 minutes, you can do your part to help save water at home.
Inside the house, the bathrooms (bathtubs, showers and toilets) and kitchen (dishwasher and sink) are obvious areas to check. But don’t forget the washing machine, refrigerator ice-making unit and other faucets, regardless of how often they’re used. Found usually in the basement or garage, there may be a water heater, water softener, humidifier or boiler in your home as well.
Outdoors, as applicable, check your automatic sprinkler systems and swimming pool. The service connecting line is another potential source of a leak as is the water meter (usually inside a concrete or plastic meter box set flush with the ground). The Regional Water Providers Consortium has information about checking each of these areas at regionalh2o.org/water-conservation/household-leak-detection.
Some leaks are big enough to cause a higher-than-normal water bill so consider using your water bill to track your household’s water use. If that’s the case, after you’ve fixed the leak, make sure to contact the Portland Water Bureau and ask about a leak adjustment. They may be able to adjust your bill back to what would be more typical for you.
