Mark your calendars! The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual Fix a Leak Weak will be held March 18 – 24.
The district challenges you to take part in Fix a Leak Week by checking for leaks and making simple and inexpensive upgrades to your home plumbing system.
Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings.
Outdoor leaks
If you have an in-ground irrigation system, check it each spring before use to make sure it wasn’t damaged by frost or freezing. An irrigation system that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
Toilet leaks
Old or worn-out toilet flappers (e.g., valve seal) can cause leaks. Flappers are inexpensive rubber parts that can build up minerals or decay over time. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and wait 30 minutes to see if any of the dye appears in the bowl. If it does, your toilet may have a leaking flapper valve.
Faucet leaks
Old and worn faucet washers and gaskets frequently cause leaks in faucets. A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.
Showerhead leaks
A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. Some leaky showerheads can be fixed by making sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem and by using pipe tape to secure it. Pipe tape, also called Teflon tape, is available at most hardware stores, is easy to apply, and can help control leaks.
Water Saving Tips
Retrofitting your faucets with low-flow aerators and replacing showerheads with WaterSense-labeled models can greatly reduce your water use.
The information above was provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information on finding and repairing leaks, including DIY videos, visit epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week.