Can Water Leak Cause a High Electric Bill?

Can a water leakage cause a high electricity bill like it does with the water bill?

What are the hidden and indirect costs that come with a water leak that no one talks about?

And most important, what are the dangers on you, your family, pets, and on the place that come from ignoring a water leakage?

These questions and more, I will be answering in this short article, in order to help you save on your bills and keep yourself and others with you safe.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

Can Water Leak Cause a High Electric Bill?

Yes, water leak can cause a high electric bill if it was not resolved, and the size of its effect changes based on where the leak happens, how big the leak is, and what type of systems related to water you have (central heating, water heater, pumps, …etc.)

3 Ways Water Leakage Increases Your Electric Bill

Water Heating Losses

If you are using an electric water heater or an electric boiler to heat water for domestic use or for central heating through radiators or underfloor pipes, then any leak on the hot water at any point in the system components would definitely lead to increasing your electric bill.

This is because normally, electric water heaters with tanks and electric boilers work on a duty cycle basis where they work for a certain period of time, like 30-60 minutes, to heat water up to a certain point, and then they automatically switch off, until the water temperature falls below a certain value because you used some of the hot water and it got replaced with cold water, and they switch on again, automatically.

They are not supposed to withdraw power all the time, even if they are turned on through the on-off switch that you can control.

The rate at which the internal thermostat inside the water heater or the electric boiler works to turn on and off the heating element varies based on how much of hot water you use, and how frequently you use it.

And when there’s a water leakage in the hot water pipes that provide water to the tabs, bath, and shower, or in the central heating pipes, what happens is that the hot water gets consumed at a higher rate that normal, which leads to lowering the temperature of the water inside the heater or the boiler, and thus, causing it to internally switch on and start consuming energy to re-heat the water.

And hot water leakage could happen at any point, whether in the pipes, at the tabs or shower, at radiators, in the boiler room, or in the electric water heater itself as I clarified in my article about how a broken water heater can increase electric bill.

Even if you use gas or diesel water heaters and boilers, you still need to fix the leakage as it would cost you more of the fuel you are using, in addition to the dangers of hurting someone or causing damages in the walls, floors, and even the foundation of your house or building.

Water Pumps Electricity Usage

If you are relying on water pumps to circulate the hot water, and even the cold water in some cases, to supply the tabs, bath, shower, and central heating radiators or underfloor pipes, then a water leakage, whether cold or hot water, would lead these pumps to work at a higher capacity for longer times in order to keep the water flowing.

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And this comes with an increase in your electricity consumption and bill due to this water leakage.

And this applies regardless if you use an electric boiler, a gas boiler, or a diesel boiler, as electric pumps are necessary for all these systems to pressurize and move the hot water in the pipes.

But this is not all.

There’s another pump that works longer and increases electricity bill when there’s a water leakage.

This is the submersible pump inside septic tanks, which turns on automatically when the tank is filled, and turns off when the water level goes below a certain level.

With water leakages at points like taps, toilets, and showers, the leaked water would go through the drainage system to the septic tank and cause it to get filled faster than normally happens, which means that the submersible water pump would work more often and for longer periods of time, thus, increasing the electric bill.

Moisture in Walls

Water leakage in the pipes, or at connection points to boilers, pumps, water heaters, taps and showers, or even in drainage pipes, might moisturize the walls, ceiling, or the floor.

Now that’s a big problem that would cost you a lot of money to fix the affected places and renovate them, but it might also increase your electric bill in two different ways:

• • Indirectly, as the moisture would cause the indoor space to get colder, and that would make the heating systems work harder and longer during the winter, thus, increasing your heating expenses if you use electric space heaters or an electric boiler for a central heating system, or even if you have a gas or diesel boiler, but electric pumps will have to work longer now in order to circulate the hot water and keep the place warm.
  • Directly, as the moisture might reach points like lighting switches and power outlets in the walls, or any wire that has minor damage in its insulation.

The result of that in the best case scenario is that this would cause a small, but continuous discharge at these points, which increases your electric bill.

This is the best case scenario!

The worst case scenario is that moisture, and serious water leakage, when comes in touch with connection points in the electrical system such as power outlets, lighting switches, and wires with damaged insulation might cause hazards and might cause serious injuries or kill someone, or cause a fire to develop in the place.

Alone, bad wiring can cause a high electric bill and can harm people and pets. Imagine when it is combined with water leakage!

Conclusion – Fix Water Leaks to Save Electricity & Water

As you saw, there are at least three ways that both; hot and cold water leakages can cause a high electric bill.

This is in addition to increasing the gas or diesel consumption if you were using one of these two to heat the water, and in addition to increasing your water bill.

Add to that, it can cause damages to some parts of your place that develop to costly renovation works.

But worst of all, it might cause harm to people and pets, and might ignite a fire in your place if it comes in touch with electricity.

Always, fix a water leak as soon as you notice it at any point in order to prevent it from increasing your energy and water bills, and to keep everyone safe.

I hope that my short article was insightful for you.

If you still have any question or need any help, please, tell me in the comments’ section below, and I will do my best to help you out.

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