Water Damage in Manhattan, NY

5/5/2017 (Permalink)

You should check your household fixtures and irrigation systems every year to ensure there are no leaks.

Leaks Cause a Massive Loss of Water

The average home wastes 10,000 gallons of water each year on leaks. This is enough to wash 270 loads of laundry. Nationwide, household leaks waste 1 trillion gallons a year, or the equivalent water use of 11 million homes. Up to ten percent of homes leak 90 gallons a day.

Where Leaks Occur

Common causes of leaks can be spotted easily.

• Worn toilet flappers
• Dripping faucets
• Leaking valves.

These can be easily corrected, which can save a lot of money on your water bill over time. If you have water damage from leaks in Manhattan, contact SERVPRO or visit us online to book an appointment.

Leak Detection

Review your past water bills to detect a spike in recent months. This sharp increase in winter water usage can point to a problem. As an example, a family of four probably has a serious leak problem if the winter water usage is more than 12,000 gallons per month.

Check the water meter once, wait two hours and check it again when there is no water running. If the meter goes up, you have a leak. You can check for a toilet leak by placing food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl in 10 minutes before flushing, there is a leak in the toilet.

Faucets and Showerheads

A faucet that leaks one drip per second wastes 3,000 gallons a year, which is enough for 180 showers. Fix leaky faucets by checking washers and gaskets and replacing worn ones.

Toilets

If your toilet leaks, you need to replace a faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this rubber part decays and it is very cheap to replace. Replace the entire rubber flapper to avoid future issues. If you end up replacing the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model, which could save 13,000 gallons each year. Retrofitting your house with WaterSense toilets can save nearly $2,400 in water and bills over the life of the toilets. If you have water damage from leaks in New York City, contact SERVPRO or visit us online to book an appointment.