Earth Day Tips to Conserve Water and Your Wallet

By: Mr. Rooter | 0 Shares 66 Reads

April 16, 2009 // Franchising.com // Waco, Texas – Looking for a way to conserve water and your wallet in today's economy? In conjunction with Earth Day, a local plumbing shop shows homeowners how to do both.

"You would be surprised at how much water you can save by checking your plumbing fixtures," said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter Corporation. "Regular maintenance can also lower your water bills. It's a win-win situation."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water a day. Follow this advice from Mr. Rooter service professionals to locate leaks and prevent problems:

Put several drops of dark food coloring into the toilet tank. If dye appears in the bowl, it's a leak. Replace the flapper at the bottom of the tank or adjust or replace the fill valve. Caution: if base of toilet is leaking, dye could stain flooring.
If water continues to flow after flushing, lift the tank lid. Adjust the chain if the flush valve flapper is hung up and not sitting down properly. If that doesn't work, adjust the float ball so it doesn't go down as far.
Replace flappers and fill valves every couple of years to avoid a running toilet. A new flapper will seal properly, and a new fill valve will stop overfilling or filling too slowly.

Home repair stores carry these parts. For those who aren't do-it-yourselfers, contact a qualified plumber to diagnose and fix the problem.

Homeowners can also purchase low-flow toilets that use only 1.6 gallons per flush as well as ultra low-flow toilets that use just 1.28 gallons per flush.

About Mr. Rooter®:

Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company with approximately 300 franchises worldwide. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its "Franchise 500" and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Mr. Rooter began franchising in 1974 and is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc.

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