Have you noticed a significant increase in your water bill? The average household uses 2,000 gallons of water a month per person. If you’re over this limit, then you may need to practice water conservation. Or you may have pinhole-sized leaks in your copper pipes.
Pinhole leaks may seem harmless and inconsequential, but they can cause severe water damage and increase your water usage. It’s best to address this plumbing issue immediately.
What to Do If You Have a High Water Bill Due to a Leak
High water bills happen for a number of reasons, but it can also be due to a leak somewhere in your plumbing system.
Leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of wasted water annually. Small leaks, as little as 1/32 inches, can waste an average of 1,546 gallons of water weekly. So you can calculate how much money you would save if you addressed these leaks.
If you have a high water bill and suspect a leak but there’s no pooling water, a pinhole leak may be the culprit. Check for leaks by turning off your faucets and seeing if the meter is running. If the meter shows water is flowing but the water is off, then you have a leak. If you find a water leak before the meter, then the city is responsible for the repair (but this type of leak most likely won’t run through your meter). If it’s after the meter, then it’s your responsibility.
Contact City of McKinney for High Water Bill Due to Water Leak
Luckily, the City of McKinney offers a courtesy leak credit to certain qualifying customers. Here’s how to apply:
- Be sure you are eligible:
- Your usage bill has increased by 3x on a single bill compared to the same period last year.
- You haven’t requested a leak credit in the past 12 months
- Submit a leak adjustment form with proof of leak repair within 60 days of fixing your leak
- Be sure to pay your water bill; you can request a payment extension.
Once you know you have a leak and it’s your responsibility, reach out to our plumbing professionals at Hackler Plumbing to fix the leak.
How a Pinhole Leak Affects Your Water Bill and Home
Pinhole leaks can happen anywhere in your house and should be caught quickly because they can be expensive to fix and expensive in terms of a high water bill.
A pinhole leak is a small crack in a copper plumbing pipe where water seeps out of the pipe. This contributes to water loss and higher water bills. Pinhole leaks are extremely common in copper plumbing as they are prone to pitting corrosion, which is when the metal starts to degrade and develop holes and pits.
Pinhole leaks are frustrating for plumbers because nobody knows why they exist and they are difficult to detect without the proper equipment. Unfortunately, this is a sign of systematic plumbing failure.
While not as obvious as something like a burst pipe, pinhole leaks can cause serious structural damage especially because they leak water slowly over a long period of time before they are noticed by homeowners. Pinhole leaks are slow water leaks; they can soak insulation, cause water damage, and encourage mold and mildew growth. Leaks in the walls or ceilings will weaken support beams, threatening your home’s structural integrity and requiring repairs.
Signs of a Pinhole Leak Detection in Your Home’s Plumbing
The following can be signs that it is time to call a McKinney plumber for a plumbing inspection and repair:
- Hearing Dripping: Depending on where your leak is coming from, you may be able to hear it or see it. A small drip can make minimal sound, but it’s still possible to detect the leak.
- Stains on Ceiling or Walls: Several water spots or water stains on your ceiling or walls are a result of water leaks. Water that leaks into your home can cause any number of issues. You should repair these issues as soon as possible to avoid health or structural problems.
- Corroded Pipes: The presence of blue-green patches on your copper pipes may indicate the formation of pinhole leaks. If you notice any discolored patches on your pipes but no leaks, give us a call to inspect and repair your pipes before any real damage occurs.
- Reduced Water Pressure: You might experience decreased water flow with a more severe pinhole leak.
- High Water Bills: A higher-than-normal water bill is a sign of a plumbing problem. It is vital to call a professional plumber earlier rather than later to repair or replace your pipes so that you don’t have a further disaster.
- Leak Detection Equipment: A plumber can also use infrared leak detection equipment to spot a leak and systematic plumbing problem during an inspection.
Understanding Your Plumbing Problems
What is the Difference Between a Slab Leak and a Pinhole Leak?
Slab leaks and pinhole leaks are common plumbing issues that are both hard to spot, repair, and can be expensive to fix. But slab leaks and pinholes leaks differ greatly.
Pinhole leaks involve plumbing pipes that run through a house or building. Pinhole leaks can be a threat to your foundation in the form of concrete slab leaks. These occur when an internal water line running through the foundation springs a leak. It can lead to significant structural damage, so it’s best not to put off slab leak repairs.
Slab leaks can result in higher water bills, but also cause foundation problems. Slab leak repairs are sometimes covered by homeowner’s insurance, so be sure to check on this should a repair be necessary.
Do You Have To Pay For Water Leaks?
Leaks can be costly in terms of the energy and water used to run your boiler or hot water heater, and other water-using appliances. There is usually a large monetary cost involved in fixing plumbing leaks in general. If you notice a significant change in your water bill, call us at Hackler Plumbing quickly so we can fix it.
How Can I Tell If I Have A Water Leak Under My Slab?
Sometimes water leaks (especially slab leaks) can only be located with water leak detection equipment. However, you can still check for slab leaks by seeing if water is pooling in your basement or crawlspace. These slab leak warning signs can will help a homeowner detect a potential problem:
- Damp or saturated carpet
- Wet, damp, warped, buckled, or separated floorboards
- Increase to the water bill
- Water pools
- Wet, moldy smell
How Do You Repair a Pinhole Leak?
If you have copper piping and regularly use a washing machine, hot water heater, or air conditioner, then you should be checking your plumbing system regularly. Plumbing repair can be quick and easy when maintained regularly, and you can stop a pinhole leak before it gets worse.
Our professional plumbing service checks for leaks and fixes them if needed. For years, we’ve provided top-notch plumbing services, including slab leak repair, sewer and drain cleaning, hot water heater repair, and plumbing system repair. We’ll give your home a thorough checkup and spot a plumbing problem before it becomes a catastrophe.
Don’t let your home’s plumbing issues be a problem any longer. While our family-run plumbing company is based in McKinney, we have a service area that also includes Frisco, Allen, and North Dallas. We offer quick and professional pipe repairs and replacements to eliminate pinhole leaks.
Contact us today to see what we can do to help lower your water bills in McKinney.
