The Impact Of Faucet Leaks On Your Water Bill: A Data Analysis

Leaky faucets are something that most household owners ignore. But even a slightly leaky tap can waste a lot of water. However, can a dripping faucet increase water bill?

Dripping faucets can increase your water bill. To give you a perspective, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 10% of homes with leaky faucets waste 90 gallons or more daily. This amount of wasted water can have a significant impact on your bill.

One thing that most homeowners do not know is how much a leaky faucet costs to fix. It’s not much. But is the faucet leak so serious that you must go through the hassle of fixing it? Well, you will soon get to know all about it!

How Serious Is a Dripping Faucet?

First of all, a dripping faucet can be very annoying. Depending on the sink you have, the dripping can make a very irritating sound. To be exact, this sound can make you stay awake in the night.

But the sound might not be an issue in your case. That brings us to the second point, leaking faucets can increase your water bill! After all, these leakages can waste thousands of gallons of water each year.

Finally, depending on the leak’s location, the dripping faucet can cause damage to your home. For example, it can initiate the growth of mildew and mold. And let’s not start with how much it can cost to get rid of a mold outbreak in your home.

So, in short, you should take leaky faucets seriously. The environmental impacts of faucets that leak are immense. And it’s equally important to understand when to repair or replace a leaky faucet.

How Much Water Does Dripping Your Faucet Waste?

The amount of water a dripping spout can waste depends on the intensity of the leak. For example, a faucet ta leaks 120 drips per minute can waste around 11 gallons of water per day, which equates to 330 gallons of water per month.

Wondering how much wastage are you dealing with? Using our calculator found here, you can better understand how much water your leaky faucet can waste.

How Much Can a Dripping Faucet Increase Your Water Bill?

Whether you need to diagnose a faulty faucet cartridge or look into other parts for the leak, you must fix it as soon as possible. It is a matter of urgency because you can be looking forward to spending about $60 more on the water bill!

Note that the above-given estimate is from a faucet that wastes 30 drips in one minute. And if that matches your leaky tap, you are wasting 3 gallons of water per day!

How Much Does a Leaking Faucet Cost Per Year?

As you can tell, it really depends on how leaky your faucet is. For example, if your faucet is dripping 10 drops of water in a minute, it is wasting 1 gallon of water daily. That equals around 31 gallons a month and approximately 347 gallons a year.

On the other hand, if the faucet is not that leaky, the amount lowers down. To illustrate, if the tap leaks around 4 drops of water a minute, you waste 0.53 gallons daily. That results in 174 gallons of water per year.

Now, when it comes to the costs, if your faucet has 30 drips a minute, you are spending $720 more on the water bill a year. Again, this estimate will increase or decrease depending on the severity of the leak.

Our In-Depth Analysis of Increasing Water Bills for Leaky Faucets

Let’s take a closer look at how much of an impact can a leaky faucet have on your water bill. Here are some data that will help you to gauge the additional cost you need to bear for having leaky faucets –

Now, the average monthly residential water cost in the US for a family of four utilizing 100 gallons of water is $72.93. Here, you need to emphasize “utilizing” as this estimate does not consider water wastage due to leaks.

So, with the leaks considered, your monthly bill could look something like this –

How to Properly Estimate Your Monthly Water Bill With Leaky Faucets?

So, the tables above are there just to give you a general idea of the cost you need to bear for leaky faucets. You can get a concrete idea of the costs by considering a couple of things. They are –

1. Water cost of your area

Before anything else, you should consider the water prices in your area. According to our data, the average water bill varies a lot from one area to another.

But in general, one person in the US can spend anywhere from $20 to $100 on average for a water bill. And remember that this data does not consider the water bill raised due to leaky faucets.

2. Consider the water usage per month

It goes without saying that the total water bill will highly depend on how much water you are using monthly. According to our data, each America uses an average of 82 gallons of water per day.

That means if you live in a family of four, you are utilizing about 328 gallons of water daily. This equates to 10,000+ gallons of water each month.

3. Factor in the price per gallon for your area

If we consider the average water bill of $72.93 for 100 gallons of water, the price per gallon stands at around $0.73. Depending on your area, this rate might be lower or higher.

You can check out the water bill prices by state given above to come up with an estimated cost per gallon for your state.

4. Consider the amount of water being wasted on leaks

To calculate water usage and cost, you should factor in the amount of water being wasted for leaks. That will have an impact on your total monthly water bill.

5. Use this formula

With all things considered, it would be time to plug them into a generalized formula to end up with an estimated value. And the formula goes something like this –

Total monthly bill = (Amount of water utilized + amount of water wasted for leaks) x price of water per gallon.

What Are the Common Causes of a Dripping Faucet?

Now that you know how much of an impact can a leaky faucet have on your monthly water bill, let’s take a deeper look into what makes a tap drip water. In general, it can be caused for these reasons –

1. Faulty O-Rings

The O-ring is one of the crucial parts of a faucet. Its main task is to make a watertight seal and prevent leakage. But over time, it can get worn out or get too stretched out. No matter the case, a faulty O-ring will make the tap drip water.

2. Mineral deposits on the valve seat

If you are wondering what the valve seat is, it is the piece that connects the nozzle and the faucet. Typically, valve seats start to showcase problems when there are too many mineral deposits. It is a common problem in areas with hard water.

3. Problems with the washer

Is the leak coming from the spout of the faucet? In that case, there is a problem with the washer. It might be out of adjustment or worn out due to excessive friction.

4. Loose connection in the handle

All the parts of the faucet require the right amount of tightness. But due to prolonged usage, components such as handles can come loose. And when they do, the tap will start to leak water.

5. Fluctuation water pressure

The water pressure of your home has a direct impact on the functionality of the faucet. As you might already know, the standard pressure-withstanding range for faucets is from 45 PSI to 55 PSI.

When the pressure fluctuates or becomes very high, the water can force itself out of the tap. And it does not matter whether all the parts of the faucets are in good condition.

6. Faulty installation

Yes, a poor faucet installation can also be a cause of a leaky tap. For example, you might have placed the washer in the wrong position during the installation process, which might be cause the faucet to leak.

How Can You Detect a Dripping Faucet in Your Home?

You can detect whether you have a dripping faucet in your home through multiple ways. Take a look –

Check for dripping sounds

If the leak is not that severe, catching the faucet leaking can be a little challenging when you are near it. But depending on the setup, you will surely hear dripping sounds. And if you do, it is a clear giveaway that you have a leaking tap.

See whether there are water stains

Do you not hear any dripping sound? When you suspect that the kitchen sink is leaking, inspect the area. Are there any signs of discoloration or water stains? If so, the faucet is leaking!

Use a paper towel or container

You can use a paper towel to determine whether the faucet is leaking. Here, you need to first dry up the area underneath the faucet. Then, place a clean paper towel and wait for a while.

If you find the paper towel wet when you check back on it, your faucet has a leak. Alternatively, you can put a small container underneath the faucet. Saw it being filled up after a while? The faucet is leaky!

How Often Should Faucets Be Checked for Leaks?

You should check faucets for leaks on a regular basis. That will enable you to detect the leak early and take immediate steps to fix it.

On the other hand, if you do not check for leaks frequently, a small and hard-to-detect leak could waste gallons and gallons of water daily. And you already know how much a leaky faucet can impact your monthly water bill.

How Do I Go About Fixing a Dripping Faucet?

You really do not have to go through too many intricacies to fix a leaky faucet. These simple steps will be more than enough –

1. Close the shut-off valve

Before anything else, you have to close the shut-off valve. You should find it right underneath the sink. Closing this valve will prevent accidents from happening during the process. And you would not want to get drenched, do you?

2. Plug the sink

As you can guess, you will need to work with small faucet parts to fix a leaky faucet. And the drain of the hole should be a concern, as any component can fall off during the process. For that reason, it is a good idea to plug the sink.

3. Remove the handle

Once you are done with the steps above, you should get into removing the faucet’s handle. And depending on the model you have, the approach for this will be a little different.

See whether there is a set of screws on the backside of the handle. If so, get yourself an Allen wrench or hex key to get the screw out. There could be a cover on the top of the handle. In that case, you should first pry it off to get to the screw.

On the other hand, a bathtub or shower faucet will require you to remove the cap and the faceplate behind the handle. You will also need to get the metal sleeve off.

4. Take the cartridge off and clean it

The faucet cartridge regulates the flow of the water. It resides right beneath the handle.

That said, over time, minerals can settle on it, making it cause leakage. Fortunately, you can clean it. You just have to take it off and keep it soaked in a vinegar-filled bowl.

Afterward, use a brush to get all the loose minerals off the body. When the cartridge is clean, install it back in place. However, if it seems to be worn out or damaged, you should replace it. It should cost around $10.

5. Inspect the O-rings and replace them if needed

With the cartridge taken care of, it would be time to focus on the O-rings. Check whether they have stretched out or have signs of damage. If so, you need to replace them. A set of O-rings should be around $3.

6. Reassemble the faucet

After working with the cartridge and O-rings, you need to get the faucet in one piece. Make sure that the O-rings and the cartridge have the correct adjustment. Then, put the handle back into place and install the screw.

7. Check the water pressure

As discussed earlier, the water pressure has an impact on faucet leaks. So, you should check the PSI reading of the water flow. And the good news is that you do not need any fancy gauge to get this measurement.

Instead, place a 1-liter jug underneath the faucet and turn the handle all the way. Note down how much time it takes to fill the jar. If it is anywhere from 5 to 6 seconds, the water pressure is within the ideal range.

On the contrary, the water pressure is too high if the jug is full within 4 seconds or less. In this case, you should consider installing a water pressure regulator in your primary water supply system.

Final Words

So, can a dripping faucet increase water bill? In short, leaking faucets can significantly impact your water bill. Depending on the leak, you can be looking to pay around $90 extra for leaky faucets. So, do not take the leaks lightly.

On that note, if you are wondering how to prevent leaks, you should perform proper maintenance. Clean the cartridge and the aerator from time to time. And replace the O-rings when you notice any signs of damage on them.