12 Sneaky Ways Your Home is Draining Your Bank Account

That seemingly innocent faucet drip

A leaky faucet is annoying enough on its own for the drip-drip-drip sound it makes, but that pesky leak is also costing you money, not to mention all that good water going down the drain. A little drip may not seem like much, but a drip calculator from the American Water Works Association puts it into perspective: 30 drips per minute means a waste of 4.32 gallons of water per day, 129.6 gallons per month, and over 1,576 gallons per year. “Take a look at basic household leaks, from hose heads to kitchen faucets. While these leaks might be tolerable initially, they can cause major damage to the structure of a home over time, resulting in thousands of dollars in repair costs,” says Allen Shayanfekr, real estate expert and Co-Founder & CEO of Sharestates. Check for leaks you can’t see, like in the attic or in unused parts of the basement, and fix them as soon as possible to prevent more extensive (and costly) damage down the road. Don’t miss the things plumbers won’t tell you—but you really should know.