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3 of these doubled my water bill


USNRET

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Over a 6 week time span these caused small leaks that we (I) did not detect by sight nor sound. This month's water bill doubled and when I checked with the helpful city utilities we discovered an increase from a monthly average of 4500 gallons to 9000 gallons. Meter read electronically 3 times a day graphed to show a steadily increasing water usage. Watching the triangle 'spinner' at the meter I saw a steady - short usage every 3-5 minutes. At $19.43 each delivered overnight from the prime big river place for a total of $58.29 which is just about what my monthly bill increased by. SMALL LEAKS MATTER.

edit: changing just the flapper valve with one from the big box stores cataloged to be THE replacement for Kohler did not fix it as I saw small air bubbles still escaping. I love toilet work.

 

 

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I hear you Carl. It is our habit to close all water closet doors which are located within the bathrooms whose doors we also close so I didn't hear the refill happening. Good sound proofing vs crappy parts, kids that don't pay attention, a deaf wife and my inattention. Two more years in this house and then the new owners should be good to go since everything will have been replaced. 

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We use an aerobic septic system. Gas used for water heater only. Drinking and cooking from bottle water. Irrigation from well.

Water: 66.29 (52 more than last month)

Gas: 25.21

Garbage: 24.31 for once a week pickup

Street fee: 5.38

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I have a shower faucet that I have replaced fittings/washers and it only stays good for about two weeks. Still, our last water bill was $22, and that is with us watering the garden pretty heavily this summer. If I replace the shower faucet, I will have to dismantle part of the bathroom on the other side of the wall to get to it. The present shower has a bazillion 1 inch tiles.

 

Bruce

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1 hour ago, Marvel said:

I have a shower faucet that I have replaced fittings/washers and it only stays good for about two weeks. Still, our last water bill was $22, and that is with us watering the garden pretty heavily this summer. If I replace the shower faucet, I will have to dismantle part of the bathroom on the other side of the wall to get to it. The present shower has a bazillion 1 inch tiles.

 

Bruce

The back wall is normally much easier than the front for valve access unless you're remodeling.

If the problem is dripping from the washers not sealing then you've got bad seats which are replaceable as well.  They can be accessed through the front of the valve with no damage to the existing shower wall.

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Oh, I know, as I replaced them early in the summer. The seats looked fine, but I will check them again. I finally bought my own wrench for the meter. The neighbor next to us has a second valve on his water line, but mine is missing one. I'm thinking of getting a quote to replace the line from the street to the house. I have a feeling it has some pretty heavy lime/mineral build up. The house was built in '62, and our original plan was to replace everything under the house with PEX when we did some other remodeling. It may never happen, as a plumber friend who was going to do the PEX as a side job decided to move to Montana.

 

 

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Marvel    you might check into what my dad did when I was about 10 or 12..lol. This guy he knew ran a company and the drilled in the basement wall out to the meter and put in a copper line took them about an hour. The other way digging up the yard and doing it seem kinda stupid to me after I saw that. I watched them do the whole thing it was awesome to me.

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