Why Is My Water Bill So High? A Look At Common Causes!

Water is very important for survival, but we have to be judicious in its use, not just from the monetary point of view. But here, we will discuss just the monetary part because high water bills can cause a lot of financial problems if your income is not high or could cause problems in your budget.

Even though there are many reasons that could lead to high water bills, some things cannot be avoided. As we look into what causes high water bills, you can have an idea about how to reduce your water consumption, and some of those ways will also be discussed.

Some Common Causes of High Water Bills

Sometimes, the water bill is higher than normal, and you know that your consumption of water cannot lead to such a hike. There are so many reasons which can lead to an increased water bill, and some of the causes are listed below. Knowing the causes might result in preventing half of the problem:

1. Leaking Toilets

This is the most common problem and happens in every household. This problem is common in many homes. The toilet leak happens when the water continues to flow even after flushing, and hundreds of gallons of water are wasted within days, as a result of which people get a high water bill.

It is very easy to detect and fix. This mainly happens if the flush valve is damaged and the tank takes a long time to fill because the water is not being held in the tank. You can easily fix this at home if you have the right tools and skills. If you can’t, call a plumber.

Even though problems like this could be easily fixed by any plumber, the quality of the product used is important as it would determine how frequently you would need to replace it. Cali’s Choice is a very trustworthy company that provides water heater services in Tustin and nearby areas.

They also take up plumbing jobs, and once you entrust this water heater repair company in Tustin with the work, you can be tension-free about the quality of the product or how properly the work is being done.

2. Leaking Valves, Pipes, or Fixtures

Water could be leaking from showerheads, basin faucets, bathtub faucets, or any other devices like the dishwasher or washing machine.

If water continues dripping even after you have closed the tap properly, it’s because your washer is worn out.

The washer could be easily replaced. Sometimes, the pipe used in the washing machine is leaking and should be replaced. These problems might seem small, but gallons of water could be wasted, resulting in water bills.

If you call plumbers to check these leakages and replace parts, a good recommendation would be Cali’s Choice, the water heater maintenance company in Tustin which provides overall maintenance and repair of appliances. Water heater repair in Tustin and installation services are also provided by this company.

3. Outdoor Leakage

If you have an outdoor irrigation system, a leakage in the pipes or the sprinkler could also be a reason for high water bills. A proper inspection of the pipes and hoses of the sprinkler or any other irrigation system is important to determine if there is any leak or not.

4. Underground Leakage

This leakage is not as easily detectable as the other leakages because this happens in the pipes which run under your house. Sometimes, there might be a leakage in the pipe under the slabs.

These problems are only identified if a proper examination of the water meter is done. These leakage problems can only be solved by professionals like the water heater services in Tustin, which also assist with controlling these kinds of problems.

5. Seasonal Water Consumption

During summers, the water consumption increases as people take more frequent showers to beat the heat and water plants more frequently. If you have a swimming pool, filling it up during warmer months also contributes to higher water bills.

Using a water-based air-conditioner can also lead to an increased water bill during the summers. Sometimes, if the number of people in our house suddenly increases, like if guests come in, the water consumption automatically increases.

On top of all the unavoidable increase in water consumption, the drains could start leaking if they have not been looked at before summer or during the spring. That is something you could avoid by conducting a drain inspection following winter.

6. Water Softeners

Water softeners are appliances that clear hard water by replacing the minerals in it with a method called ion exchange. Many homes have a water softener installed, especially in those regions where the water contains a lot of calcium and magnesium.

The water softener needs to regenerate itself, and the more frequently it regenerates, which depends on various factors like hardness of water, iron content, etc., the higher the water bill will be.

If there is some defect in the water softener like the backwash valve getting stuck, water gets wasted, resulting in a high water bill. These problems could easily go undetected, and you need to check your water meter regularly to avoid such problems.

If such a problem persists, you need to get your appliances checked by a professional like Cali’s Choice, which is a water heater services company in Tustin.

It also does water heater maintenance in Tustin and servicing and maintenance of other household appliances. Hard water is a big problem, and even though using a water softener can increase your water bills, it saves you a lot of money in the long run, like early replacement of appliances damaged due to hard water, clogging of pipes, etc.

7. Water Heater

You need to look for signs like dampness around the tank, excessive condensation, popping sound. These indicate there is some problem with your water heater like a leaky tank, accumulation of sediments, leaky connections, etc.

If your water heater is aging, consider replacing it with more energy-efficient models because even if there is no defect in the old one, it still consumes a lot of energy and water, resulting in higher utility bills. Also, the higher the temperature, the more water is required in any water heater.

Sediment collecting at the bottom of the tank reduces the efficiency of the water heater. So, regular maintenance of the water heater is very important, and the services provided by Cali’s Choice, the water heater maintenance company in Tustin, are the best. And if you need to replace faulty parts, they also provide water heater repair in Tustin.

8. Wasting Water

We, in our day-to-day life, have many habits which lead to overconsumption and wastage of water. Some of these habits include:

• Keep the tap running while brushing, shaving, washing face or hands, etc.
• Forgetting to turn off the tap.
• Washing machines with little laundry.
• Unnecessary lengthy showers.
• Overwatering the lawns or irrigation system timers are set more frequently than necessary.

These are very small things, and often we overlook our faults when looking into a problem. It might be that some other problem could also be leading to wastage of water, but we should never forget the importance of our roles in it and try to rectify these habits as soon as possible.

Ways to Prevent High Water Bills

We have discussed the common causes of high water bills, now let’s look into some ways to avoid or solve the problem.

1. Checking for leaks: Leakages from toilets, faucets, broken hoses or pipes can result in the wastage of hundreds of gallons of water every day. This is a very common reason for high water bills, so get them fixed as soon as possible, and until it is fixed, try turning off the water supply to that toilet tank or faucet when not in use.

For fixing this kind of problem, contact Cali’s choice, the company which does much more than water heater repairs in Tustin and can be blindly trusted.

2. Inspection of appliances: Some appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, or air conditioners could also be using more water than necessary due to some internal leaks or faults.

Water heaters and water softeners, when not maintained properly, could get damaged, resulting in more consumption of water. In order to avoid such problems, contact the water heater services company in Tustin, Cali’s choice, as they are good at water heater maintenance in Tustin and the maintenance of other plumbing appliances.

3. Getting low-flow showerheads and faucets: These help in saving water as it reduces the water flowing by almost 50 percent. These low-flow appliances are very affordable and can be easily installed.

4. Using energy-efficient appliances: The development of technology has led to the introduction of many energy-efficient techniques which reduce energy and water bills.

5. Using aerator faucets: These faucets use very less water, but the force remains the same as air flows from the holes applying pressure so that water flows from the faucets with the same force.

6. Implementing some techniques: Some ideas can be used to minimize the use of water.

7. Using water diverters which diverts some of the water while flushing to the tank. To get these installed, contact the water heater services in Tustin. They also provide many other services like the water heater repair services in Tustin.

Here are some more tips and suggestions:

• Placing a filled water bottle in the water tank to use less water in each flush.
• Watering your lawn during the night or early morning so that water seeps into the soil and water loss to evaporation of less.
• Using properly insulated hot water tanks and pipes.
• Harvesting rainwater to use for outdoor activities like watering your plants or washing your car.
• Using a separate water meter for your outdoor water usage. This also helps in identifying if any outdoor leaks happen.
• Changing habits to minimize water wastage:
• Changing some of our habits can also help us to conserve water as we may not realize how much water we waste every day, which is leading to high water bills. Some of these habits are:
• Some of us love a long shower at the end of the day, but we do not realize how much water is used in every shower. Taking shorter showers can significantly reduce water bills.
• Using a full washing machine or dishwasher helps reduce water consumption as the same quantity of water is used to wash any load of dishes or clothes.
• So, go for less frequent washing and avoid pre-washing as all the work is done in the machine itself.
• Use a bucket to wash your car instead of running water through a hose.
• Use a dishwasher to wash the dishes instead of hand washing.
• Close the taps when brushing or shaving, when you are not using the water.

Water conservation is very important not just because of high water bills. Some of the problems mentioned above can be solved at home if you are a little handy, but sometimes the problems are in the pipe system or any appliance which needs to be checked and fixed by professionals like Cali’s choice, which is a well-known water heater maintenance company in Tustin. It is recommended by customers because of the excellent services like plumbing and water heater repairs in Tustin.