Most homeowners know the experience. They’re settling into bed for the night, and suddenly, they hear it, an unmistakable noise…. drip. Then another. Drip. And again. Drip.
Hearing a leaky faucet isn’t just annoying because of the recurring noise, but because you know those drips are adding up and draining your bank account.
It doesn’t bother everyone though. Some think, these are just little drips, right? They can’t be wasting that much water or money.
So how much does it cost you? Answering this will let you know how important it is to get your leaking faucets or showerheads repaired as soon as possible.
Doing the Calculations
The best way to start the number crunching on the dripping faucet is to listen closely to that irritating drip itself. By counting the number of drips per minute, you can get a good idea about whether this is a minor or major repair. What is surprising, is that even if it is a slow drizzle, the costs can add up.
Although there is no established scientific measurement for a faucet drip’s volume, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the average volume of a single drip is .25 milliliters. This small amount starts to appear daunting when you discover that the smallest faucet leak or showerhead leak in the typical American house drips an average of 10 times a minute, adding up to 2.5 milliliters per minute and 150 milliliters per hour. This means that on any given day, odds are, that your faucet will leak around 24,000 drips, equaling approximately 3.6 Liters of water, or nearly one gallon, (exactly .951 gallons).
The Numbers Hit Home
Most billing of natural gas and water is determined using measurements of one centum cubic foot (CCF), or per 100 cubic feet. When you convert from liters into CCF, a small drip for a home in the larger Research Triangle area could add around $2 a month to your water bill.
Although an extra $20 to $30 a year from a typical leak may not seem like it would break the bank, larger leaks can get as high as $20 to $30 a month.These start off as slower leaks anyway, so it’s best not to wait for it to get worse.
If you’ve been noticing a dripping faucet or if your water bill has mysteriously increased, it is time to call the certified Master plumbers at PlumbV. We identify and fix leaks in homes all around the larger Triangle area, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Cary. You can reach us at (919) 932-0081.