Time to bring some emphasis to one of the biggest water wasters in homes today: leaking toilets. A leaky toilet can waste up to 1,000 gallons of water a month!
An average home can waste more than 37,000 litres of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks that occur inside and outside the home. [Read more]
One of the biggest problems is that many leaky toilets are silent so unless you test for leaks, you’ll likely never know how much water (and money) you’re wasting.
It is recommended that you check your home for leaks twice a year. Even new toilets can leak and most toilet leaks are silent so it’s important to add checking for leaks to your regular home maintenance schedule. Be aware that time-released toilet bowl cleaners that sit in your tank (rather than flush-released ones) can speed up the deterioration of parts in your toilet and cause leaks. If you use these products, you should check your toilet for leaks more frequently. In the spring, don’t forget to check your outside taps for leaks too. [City of Calgary]
Checking your toilet for leaks:
• Remove the lid from your toilet tank
• Put five or six drops of food colouring in the toilet tank
• Wait 30 minutes, and if you see colour in the toilet bowl water, you have a leak
What do do if you have a leak:
The City of Calgary website has some great resources available for dealing with toilet leaks or hiring a plumber. The City of Calgary recommends that you check for toilet leaks at least twice a year. You can find resources about toilet leaks here.
If you need a plumber: check out Byron’s Plumbing:
If you do need a plumber, check out Byron’s Plumbing, they are one of the approved vendors we work with (and many of our clients too). Here’s a quick rundown of the company:
• Been in business for over 30 years, with over 60 years plumbing experience
• Over 25 certifications
• They have designed domestic water systems that run on rain water
• One of the Calgary leaders in hydraulic heating
In-depth instructions on checking for toilet leaks, and repairing them as well, can be found on the City of Calgary website here.
