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The San Diego Plumber and HVAC Association says water leaks should be addressed immediately to avoid wastage, exorbitant utility costs, and environmental degradation. (Photo Credits)
The Cost of Water Leaks
The Cost of Water Leaks
The San Diego Plumber and HVAC Association (SDPHA) is encouraging homeowners to address their water leak issues at home to avoid its many consequences. The SDPPA warns, water leaks go a long way in terms of damaging a home, causing utility bills to sky-rocket, and beginning the process of rotting and home destruction.
The SDPHA says it is in the homeowners’ best interest to address water and toilet leaks because these contribute to higher home operational costs. Besides, the SDPHA adds that it is not ideal for the environment since water is a finite resource.
So what is the cost of water leaks?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency says a lot can be saved by a household if only it will address water leaks in its home plumbing system.
“The average family can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually, from household leaks. That's equivalent to the amount of water needed to wash more than 300 loads of laundry. Household leaks can waste approximately nearly 900 billion gallons of water annually nationwide. That's equal to the annual household water use of nearly 11 million homes.” The rest of the statistics and information can be found here.
Apart from economic impact, leaks also harm the environment. The Huffington Post published an informative piece tackling how water leaks and wastage affect the environment. It underscored that as more water is wasted, the more we contribute to global warming. International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
“Wasting water or overusing household water means you’re wasting the energy-intensive process of filtration. The many steps of this process—extraction, transportation, filtration, etc.—require non-renewable fossil fuels and as these resources become depleted, their dangerous by-products such as carbon dioxide build up in the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to your carbon footprint and the Earth’s rising temperatures.“ Read the full text here.
In the home front, water leaks are the major cause of water damage and subsequent mold growth. Water damage compromises the structural integrity of a property, while molds pose a health and safety hazard to home occupants. When leaks go undetected or unaddressed, mold can grow within the next 48 hours and multiply from there. Mold presence also signify the start of rotting because usually when a portion of a home has been affected by molds then fungus, which is responsible for rotting and severely damaging the home structure, is definitely not far off.
The SDPHA says homeowners should immediately address water leaks by enlisting professional help. Undetected leaks can meantime be found by a periodic plumbing inspection that will also resolve other looming problems in a home’s plumbing system. Yes there may be upfront costs, but the SDPHA says, these costs are well worth the price of reducing wastage and avoiding its negative impacts.
External Links:
Ace Contractors Plumbing, Heating, And Air
650 Columbia Street San Diego CA 92101
(858) 480-6618
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