How Plumbers Can Help Reduce Your Home’s Water Waste

Indeed, plumbers specialize in the installation, repair, and maintenance of the systems that carry water. They are the first line of defense between you and plumbing disasters. Plumbers can fix leaks, install water-efficient fixtures, and advise you on plumbing best practices—all of which can help ensure that next to no water goes to waste in your home.

Bathroom water waste can be cut down by plumbers in these ways: 1. By fitting low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads 2. By repairing leaks and other problems causing excessive water flow 3. By recommending to homeowners more to-the-minute plumbing fixture replacements that result in better water efficiency

Certainly, a plumber can take a big step towards remediating water damage by spotting and fixing the leak or the entry of water, like broken pipes, busted fixtures, or faulty seals. They can help figure out what caused it and what to do so that it doesn't happen again. But if the water has migrated, soaked into, or been trapped by your building materials, and especially if it's been contaminated, you may also need to work with professionals who specialize in restoring structures and contents to a pre-damaged state.

Indeed, plumbers work with sewage. They are schooled in the art of handling, repairing, and maintaining sewer lines and systems so that waste is just as efficiently carried from your home as water is when you flip a switch and activate your private plumbing system. And as a bonus (if that is indeed a bonus), there is not only the assurance that these systems will work properly but also the significant help that plumbers render in reducing the waste of water.

Water pipes generally receive coverage under a homeowners policy. However, in order for the plumbing problem to be covered, the cause of the problem must be "sudden and accidental." Pouring a basement full of water is not usually an insurable accident, but a burst pipe could very well be. Just as with other types of coverage, it's important for homeowners to understand what type of plumbing problem is and is not insurable and to get help when plumbing problems threaten to become insurable accidents.

Several elements influence the price a plumber charges to repair a pipe. They include the pipe's location, the job's complexity, and whether the repair is of an emergency nature. For simple repairs, a rough average might suggest paying $125 to $350. However, if the job is complex, if the pipe's location makes it hard to get to, or if some other condition prevails, a serious discussion about the potential cost should be had before the work is undertaken. To get an idea of what might be a fair price, it makes sense to get a few quotes from different plumbers.

To ascertain whether a plumber is pulling your leg, look closely at their charges and practices. Insist on a detailed written estimate before they plunge into work, and compare their pricing with industry norms. Pipe dreams are okay, but be wary if the plumber suggests solutions that sound like they require as much money as a new pipe. Verifying licenses and reading reviews can help sift the trustworthy from the unreliable, but a second opinion from a professional can also confirm whether the job and pricing are on the up-and-up.

Water damage that occurs in a sudden and accidental way is typically covered by homeowners insurance. This includes, for example, damage from burst pipes, overflow from appliances, and the kinds of damage that result from putting out a fire. However, water damage from other sources is generally not covered. This includes damage that results from—well, just from poor maintenance. (Essentially, if the problem's your fault, you can't expect your insurance to cover it.) Plumbers try to prevent this kind of problem with a well-maintained plumbing system, a key part of any home's ongoing maintenance. They also engage in a kind of "water insurance." They help the insured avoid problems that could lead to a claim. And plumbing is part of it. So is what a homeowner does with water indoors—an efficient, effective use of plumbing.

Generally, plumbing issues don't fall under the umbrella of homeowner's insurance, unless they result from sudden, unexpected events. This means that you're pretty much on the hook for any plumbing work that needs to be done because of typical problems that just happen to a plumbing system over time. But your pipes don't have to go the way of the Titanic just because they were installed in the 1990s. Regular inspection and maintenance might catch problems before they turn into claims that the insurance adjuster will deny. Replacing your home's plumbing can vastly increase its efficiency, which also translates into savings since you're using less water and less energy.

When it comes to burst water pipes, there are few people who are more necessary to the resolution of the problem than plumbers. They find and fix the causes of the calamity with either pipe replacement or repair. They look at the situation. They put on their thinking caps and do some assessment. Is it bad water pressure? Is it bad pipe installation? Is it corrosion? Is it bad pipe material? Is it just some really freakish bad luck? And then they come up with a solution and fix the pipes. And that is why I say that plumbers save the world.