PALM SPRINGS, CA--(Marketwire - April 1, 2010) - In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, American Leak Detection is encouraging people to address the water leaks in their homes.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of water leaked from U.S. homes has the potential to exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year.
Stan Berenbaum, president of American Leak Detection, says that little changes can really add up and gives the following examples of how much water individuals can save:
- Save more than 3,000 gallons per year: Fix any leaky faucets or showerheads that drip at a rate of one drip per second or more. Replace inexpensive washers or valve sets, and tighten connections using pipe tape and a wrench.
- Save 6,300 gallons per month: Check your irrigation system to ensure that it was not damaged by frost or freezing during the winter. A leak as small as the thickness of a dime can result in significant water loss.
- Save over 18,000 gallons per year: Switch to a low-flush, WaterSense labeled toilet. The EPA reports that retrofitting a house with these toilets could save a family of four approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the toilets' lifetime.
- Save 360,000 gallons per year: Often not thought of are hidden leaks the size of a pinhead in a service line underground or behind a wall, which can waste enough water to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark. Monitor your water bill and usage monthly and annually.
The EPA reports that ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons of water or more per day.
"Saving water is like any other habit. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes," added Berenbaum. "Try challenging your family members to find clever ways to cut back on their water usage. We encourage people to use our online tools -- The Bucket Test for pools and The Meter Test for homes -- to help them determine if they may have a leak prior to calling an expert such as American Leak Detection."
For more information, visit www.AmericanLeakDetection.com.