It’s easy to look at a leaky tap and think ‘it won’t waste much water, it’s only dripping’.
In actual fact, water from a dripping tap can waste 20,000 liters of water per year, which is enough to fill a small swimming pool! Now that’s a lot of water.
Many of us take this precious resource for granted because it’s always so readily available, but the truth is, Australia is the world’s second driest content after Antarctica. Our average rainfall per year is 600mm over 80% of our land and only 300mm over 50%. Our summers are very hot and many parts of the country are in a drought for a majority of the year. These factors mean we need to be mindful of how we use this valuable resource.
If water conservation isn’t incentive enough, a dripping tap will cause your water bill to steadily increase, costing you more money throughout the year. The best thing to do is get onto fixing that tap as soon as you notice it dripping.
The main causes are worn out washers and o rings, corroded cartridges, water pressure issues and problems with valves and seals within the tap mechanism. Many of us know how to replace washers and o rings but beyond that, it’s best to enlist the help of a licensed plumber.
Never attempt to pull apart your taps or pipes yourself. As plumbers, we often see cases where people have caused more damage to their plumbing by trying to fix things on their own. This could end up costing you more money and potentially cause serious flooding and property damage.
If you’ve got a leaky tap, contact the experienced plumbers at C.S Crown Plumbing in North Sydney for a fast and professional service.
