Save water, save money

Want to save a little green for both your wallet and the environment? Take a look around your house! A simple fix, like a leaking faucet or a running toilet, can save water and lower your bill for water use.

Look for leaks

A dripping faucet isn’t just wasting you water – it’s draining the money right out of your pocket! This is an easy fix, and only takes a few parts from the hardware store and about an hour of time.

If you spot a leaky faucet, start by shutting off the water to the faucet, and run out any water in the pipes. Once the water has flushed away, plug the drain in the sink - faucets have a lot of small pieces and you don’t want to lose one down the drain!

Use a screwdriver to take off faucet handles, and inspect the washer that was behind the handle. The washers, which can degrade over time or rust, are the usual suspect in faucet leaks. Once you’ve removed the washer, take it to your local hardware store to find a replacement.

When you get home, place the new washer in the position of the old washer and replace the handle. Use the screwdriver to tighten the handle and turn the water back on to the faucet. Last, turn the water on and check for leaks. If all has gone according to plan, it should be water tight!

Fix a running toilet

You flush the toilet, only to come back hours later and find it still running. Don’t call a plumber: Take a look inside and fix the problem yourself! To start, you need to catch the toilet in the act, while it’s still running. Take off the lid and have a look. One of the first things you’ll see – and the most likely culprit of a running toilet – is the flapper, the large rubber plug that keeps the water in your toilet bowl.

The flapper works with the lever and chain, or the pieces that make the flapper rise and fall when flushed. Inspect this entire system first. Is the chain caught on something or tangled? Is the flapper lined up right - or is it starting to fall apart?

In a lot of cases, a few minor adjustments are enough to get it back to proper working order. You should be able to adjust the shape or angle of the lever with your hands or shorten the length of the chain with a pair of needle-nose pliers. You can even purchase replacement parts for this system at the hardware store and replace the entire thing yourself.

Or hire a plumber

Of course, if any of these simple repairs don’t solve your leaky faucets or running toilets – or if you don’t feel comfortable making the repairs yourself – consider hiring a plumber to make them for you. Although it’s more expensive in the short-term, you’ll save much more over the long-run in the form of a smaller water bill.

Technorati Tags: fix around the home, home repairs, save water, saving money