There are some things that you can do to save water and save money on your water bill. Leaky water faucets and commodes may seem like minor leaks but they add up fast and can account for hundreds of gallons of water wasted every month. These wasted gallons of water can cost a great deal of money over time.

A good way to save water and money is to stop water leaks. To help control water leaks each plumbing fixture should have its own individual shut off valve near the fixture itself. When taking a vacation or if you own a second home that you frequent only on holidays and weekends, the water should be shut off at each appliance or the main water valve should be closed when the home is vacant.

Individual valves can be used when an individual appliance needs work letting water serve the rest of the home while the appliance is being serviced. Knowing how to shut off the water to an individual appliance will save water if there is a leak. Plumbing appliance leaks can damage flooding, walls and floors if you cannot immediately shut off the water supply in an emergency.

Do your own DIY plumbing inspection periodically to check for leaks and other instances that may be causing problems. A dripping faucet wastes a terrible amount of water and money, and it can usually be repaired with just a washer replacement.

After each toilet flush, the tank must be refilled. If the toilet will not quit running it probably has a problem with the float arm, float ball, tank stopper, or an inlet valve. All these problems are easy to repair by the DIY homeowner.

You can also regulate the toilet water level to choose how much water it uses per flush. Another option is to place a brick in the toilet tank to decrease the water used per flush. This may seem odd or old fashion, but it works and you will save a great deal of water over several months.

See related plumbing articles:

How to Remedy and Prevent a Clogged Kitchen Sink

How to Remedy Common Plumbing Problems

How to Repair an Outside Leaky Faucet

How to Repair Leaking Copper Fittings

How to Replace a Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve