Investigate Outside for Causes of Inflated Water Bills
Budget busting utility bills are the bane of property and home owners. Those online or paper statements often come with dread before they are even opened. Feelings of apprehension are confirmed when the total tally is several degrees wayward on the high side.
Water and sewage are one of the more controllable aspects of a household but a person needs to know where to look. Start your detective work outside the structure and in the yard to discover pesky leaks before further proliferation.
Landscaping Systems
Keeping lawns and other aspects of our landscape verdant and lush is a labor of love. From the traditional spray hose to the most modern automated sprinkler systems, these have the potential for rampant over usage of resources. From spigot to spray hose nozzle, both ends are notorious for not being water tight.
Automated sprinkler systems have their own vulnerabilities as well. Underground pipping, individual actuators, and even the schedule it runs on can be adjusted to stem the tide against water bills. A consultation with a licensed plumber can not only fix what is wrong but adjust the watering schedule to get the job done and reduce unnecessary cost at the same time.
Our Pools
Soothing and decorative, the pools in our yard are relaxing venues for family gatherings. Air conditioning might keep the heat at bay but few things genuinely cool you off like a summer dip in the pool. This relaxation necessity has some inherent costs that are unavoidable but leaks are not one of them.
There is a simple and straight forward test to see what extent of seepage one might have with their pools. Beside the pool, fill a bucket to a predetermined level marked with a line. In the pool, denote the top of the water surface at the same time. Wait twenty four hours during a dry day. Measure the differences.
If your pool has regularly shows more distance from the mark than the bucket has then your system is not as closed as it should be. Even simpler pool designs have many junctions where a leak can occur. Save yourself from chasing your tail and enlist professional help to deduce and make your pool the closed system it should be.
Valleys
Leaks often manifest themselves to the naked eye by migrating to the valleys in yards. Gravity takes the course of water down to the lowest points of the terrain. Scope these areas out. Are there standing puddles or pools in the middle of a dry day?
If so then there is most certainly a culprit behind it. Underwater pipes and supply valves for external water usage are a logical place to investigate. Corrosion takes place and degrades the seals. Valves become temperamental and do not want to fully close over time.
These signs could be the start of a massive undertaking of resources to repair. Prudence dictates a small investment with a plumber to verify this before plans are started to fix the culprits.
Look outside the building before denying you and your loved ones long hot showers and extra loads of laundry to save on your water bills. Often those inflated figures are not from over usage but pesky problems from closed systems that have degraded.
A small investment with a leak detection specialist can pay dividends both financially and in quality of life. Take control of your utilities today, pick up the phone, and talk to a licensed plumber about your water and sewage concerns today.