Why’s the Water Bill So High? 4 Reasons Your Water Bill Rises in the Winter
The winter season doesn’t only affect your heating bill. It can make managing your water bill tricky as well.
Even though you’ve done your best to keep the bill as low as possible, the price may still be astronomical.
Despite your efforts, you’re left wondering how your water bill is so high.
Here are four reasons why your water bill rises in the winter.
Toilets
Although it doesn’t seem like it, your toilets are actually what uses the most water out of any other appliance.
In winter, it’s likely that you and your family are staying home more often, meaning that there are more people flushing the toilet and using that water.
To make matters worse, toilets use even more water when they start to malfunction. If you notice the cost of your water bill is much higher than it makes sense, your toilet should be at the top of the suspect list.
Whenever a toilet is flushed, every ounce of water is transferred to the bowl.
However, you can only flush again after the tank is refilled. If your toilet keeps running, it means that something is keeping the tank from refilling properly.
In most cases, this is due to the flapper being worn out or damaged, but this can easily be replaced.
Dripping
It’s not uncommon for the water to drip a little after you turn off your sink or shower.
When functioning properly, this quickly ceases on its own without an issue.
However, if the faucet or showerhead continues drips, it can cause your water bill to skyrocket.
Make sure that every water supply you use is completely turned off before anything else.
An Unknown Leak
Another contributor to ridiculously high water bills are hidden leaks, and these are especially common in winter.
With freezing temperatures, pipes that are aren’t used or maintain as regularly are likely to freeze, making them brittle and prone to bursting.
Most people will deal with a leak at least a few times in their lifetime. However, not every leak is keen on making itself known, and you make waste a lot of water before you notice the problem.
While this will spike your water bill dramatically, simply raising your water bill to rise isn’t the only damage an unknown leak can cause.
They can cause things like wood rot, hard water stains, and mold.
If your water bills are higher than usual, but you can’t find the source, you’ll need to contact plumbing services and ask them to check out the problem.
More People Are Using the Water
In some cases, there may not even be an issue with your plumbing.
There are other ways your water bill can skyrocket; even something as simple as excessive use raises the price.
As mentioned before, it’s likely that more of your family is staying at home rather than going out.
Additionally, the winter holidays likely have you welcoming extended family to stay in your home.
All those extra people using the toilets, sinks, showers, and faucets can have a dramatic effect on your water bill.
Try to measure your water usage and keep it to a minimum.
High water bills can be very irritating to deal with, especially if you’re on a budget.
Keep an eye on how much water you and your family are using, and if your water bill isn’t matching your usage, consult with a plumber.
Category: Home Repair
