We often think of indoor plumbing as a luxury of the modern world, but plumbing and plumbers have actually been around for centuries, dating back to as early as 2500 B.C. Plumbing is certainly a necessity in many of our lives, providing us with easy, convenient access to water as well as devices like toilets and water heaters. But plumbing in a home must be cared for like anything else, and plumbing winterization is particularly key for those houses in colder climates. Plumbing winterization, along with other servicings and maintenance, are crucial to keeping plumbing running smoothly.

Many issues with plumbing stem back to leaks somewhere in the pipe system. Toilets, which can take up up to 30% of water used in a household, are frequent leak culprits. A toilet leak can be checked for simply by dropping a few drops of food coloring into the toilet bowl. If there is a leak, the color will show up in the bowl in no less than ten minutes. If there is no leak, the bowl will remain clear. Water leaks are not uncommon, with up to 10% of all households affected by a leak at any given point. But toiler repairs are essential when there is a leak, as well is the repair of any other type of leak, as up to 90 gallons of water are wasted every day due to various leaks. A leaky faucet alone wastes a household a full gallon of water in one week. In total, one trillion gallons of water is wasted every year due to things as easy to fix as a leaky faucet or toilet. This amounts to over six billion dollars. In fact, correcting a leak can save a household up to 10% on their monthly energy bill.

It’s also important to invest in plumbing winterization as part of protecting your pipes for winter. Plumbing winterization is particularly necessary in cold climates, and many plumbing companies will include plumbing winterization as part of their plumbing services. Plumbing winterization is particularly crucial for piping that is in the basement, as almost 40% of all frozen pipes occur there. Plumbing winterization can help to prevent such frozen pipes, keeping them safe no matter how cold it gets.

No matter what your plumbing situation, it is important and even crucial to have your pipes regularly serviced. Services like leak repair and plumbing winterization can help save you money in the long run, as well as prevent damage from occurring in your home due to a leaky or frozen pipe.