How to Save Money on Plumbing Bills

July 8, 2023

Plumbing is an expensive service, especially when it’s an emergency. Late night calls to the plumber can cost significantly more than the regular rates plumbers cost.

Fortunately, there are many ways to save money on plumbing bills.

Here’s how.

1. Take Care of Leaky Pipes

You might not notice leaky pipes until it’s too late. Most homeowners discover them when there are water stains on the wall or a pile of water underneath the sink. At that point, the damage is done, and the bills will be high because not only do you have water damage, but you might also have mold growing.

Here are a few ways to check for leaky pipes.

    1. Check your water bill – If your water bill seems higher than normal, check for leaky pipes. For example, if the water must run continuously, such as in a toilet, you might have a leaky pipe.
    2. Put food dye in your toilet tank – To check if a toilet is leaking, put food dye in the tank. If the water in the bowl becomes colored, you have a leak.
    3. Turn off all taps – Turn all water sources off in the house and check the water meter. If it’s running, you have a leak.

2. Clean your Drains

Most people wait until the drains completely clog to clean them, but this is terrible for your plumbing. Instead, clean your drains monthly with a cup of baking soda and vinegar. This will bubble up in the drains, clearing the drain and pipes without doing any damage.

Avoid commercial drain cleaners, as they can damage your pipes and increase your plumbing bills. Instead, keep it natural and safe. Also, in the bathrooms, place strainers over the drains to prevent hair and other items from clogging them.

Keep your drain clean in the kitchen by scraping everything you can into the garbage, avoiding pouring grease down the drain. Grease buildup can quickly clog a drain, increasing the need for emergency plumbing appointments.

3. Know Where your Water Shut-off Valve is Located

Knowing where your water shut-off valve is located can make the difference between severe and managed damage.

When you aren’t involved in a water emergency, determine where your water shut-off valve is located, and learn how to use it. Try a couple of times so that when you’re under the stress of an emergency, you can quickly handle it and limit the damage caused.

4. Choose Energy Efficient Appliances

Energy-efficient appliances, such as low-flow toilets, may cost more upfront, but they can save you money on plumbing costs in the future.

Low-flow toilets use less water, saving you monthly money on your water bill and reducing the need for a plumber. In addition, with less water usage, there’s less wear and tear on your pipes, making the toilet last longer and the need for a plumber to come out less frequently.

5. Check your Plumbing Often

Once a month, do a quick plumbing check on the house. Look for things like a slow drain, dripping faucet, or potential leaking pipe.

When you notice the issues immediately, they may cause less damage and be less expensive to repair. Many issues, such as replacing a faucet or unclogging a drain, can be solved yourself. However, if you wait too long to deal with the issues, they could become much larger problems that turn into emergencies.

6. Keep your Plumbing Layout Simple

If you’re remodeling or building a house, try keeping your plumbing needs in a single room close together. If you make the plumbing too complicated, it could cause issues down the road. Not only will the labor costs be higher, but it also increases the cost of materials.

If you’re building a house, consider the layout carefully. For example, putting upstairs and downstairs bathrooms above one another allows them to share the same pipes. The same is true of the laundry room and kitchen.

Keep it simple, so when you need a plumber, it’s a simple and less expensive job.

7. Replace Leaking Faucets

A leaking faucet may not seem like a big deal, but the issues are two-fold.

First, you use unnecessary amounts of water, causing your water bill to increase. Second, you put more wear and tear on the faucet and pipes, which may cause premature plumbing issues. A leaking faucet after you turn it off is more detrimental to your plumbing than you realize, but fixing it immediately can sidestep those issues.

Final Thoughts

Saving money on plumbing bills isn’t as complicated as it seems. The key is to check your plumbing often, fix issues when they arise, and try to do as much yourself as possible.

Of course, certain jobs are meant for plumbers only, and you shouldn’t try to handle jobs you don’t understand. To save money, try making an appointment during normal working hours and looking for a plumber working in the area to minimize travel costs or paying higher costs for extra hours services.