Fix Leaks

A leak that drips two times per second wastes 525 gallons a month. Fixing many household leaks is easy and can be done by a do-it-yourselfer.

Locate Your Emergency Shutoff

Find the location of your emergency, or whole-house, water shutoff valve. Emergency water shutoff valves are often found inside garages or basements, or outside near the home's foundation. If your shutoff valve is inaccessible or you are unable to locate the valve, call a plumber for help.

Fixtures also have water shutoff valves that should be turned off before working on them when you don't need to shut off water to the entire house. If you've shut off your water, turn it back on slowly to prevent a "water hammer" - a sudden surge of water that can damage pipe joints and fittings.

Fix Leaky Faucets and Showerheads

A dripping faucet that fills a cup in 10 minutes can waste over 3,200 gallons of water per year. Most faucet leaks are caused by old or worn faucet washers, O rings, and gaskets.

Many showerheads that leak where the showerhead connects to the pipe can be fixed by using Teflon or pipe tape on the connection between the showerhead and pipe and making sure the connection is tight.

You can find more about fixing leaks and other helpful resources through the EPA's WaterSense program. Many Do-It-Yourself repair books also provide step-by-step instructions for fixing many common plumbing problems or fixture repairs.

Helpful Tip: Diagram your fixture when taking it apart to show the order of its pieces. Take broken parts to the hardware store where employees help you find the right products and provide guidance.

If you are unsure of how to approach a fix, ask a plumber or hardware store plumbing representative.

Fix Leaky Toilets

A silent leaky toilet, often caused by a flapper that does not close completely, can waste 50 to 500 gallons of water per day. Most leaks in toilets occur when water constantly overflows into the overflow pipe in the tank or when water seeps through the flapper into the toilet bowl without flushing. Depending on where the leak is, you may be able to fix it yourself, or you may need to call a plumber for repair.

Here's how to check your toilet:

  1. Take the lid off of the tank, flush and watch.
  2. The water level should come up to the mark impressed into the side of the tank or about 1 inch below the overflow tube. If it comes up higher, it's easy for water to continuously overflow and run down the drain. If necessary, bend the arm of the float arm down so that the re-fill valve shuts off at that water level. If the re-fill valve itself leaks, you may want to work with a plumber.
  3. Check to see if you have a leak in or around the flapper at the bottom of the tank by putting a little food coloring in the tank.
  4. Don't flush and wait to see if any color appears in the bowl. If it does, you probably have a leak at the flapper valve on the bottom of the tank. Flapper leaks can be caused by a worn flapper (easily replaced) or by a corroded flapper valve seat, which may need to be replaced by a plumber. If you replace the flapper, make sure you buy the right one for your toilet because the wrong flapper model may also leak.
  5. After 15 minutes flush the toilet to get rid of the food coloring.

You can find out more about fixing leaks and other helpful resources through the EPA's WaterSense program.