If your outdoor faucet is dripping do not crank harder on the handle. The dripping is an indication of a worn out seal or seat. Trying to crank down harder can damage internal components which can lead to a complete replacement instead of a simple rebuild of the faucet.

According to water.usgs.gov if a house has one faucet that drips 60 drops of water in one minute that is 86,400 drips per day. This means you're losing 5.7 gallons per day, 176.7 gallons per month, 2,083 gallons per year! This can add up quickly and result in an unnecessary high water bill. Most of the time if a faucet is in decent shape it can be rebuilt.

Do you hear a "popping" or "clunking" sound from your water heater? Usually that's sediment buildup in the bottom. At this point a flush might not help anything. The sediment at the bottom can absorb the heat which causes the water heater to run even longer to reach the desired temperature. Sometimes the longer run times will trip the temperature limiting device and shut the gas control valve off. Left unchecked this will result in a higher gas bill.

Does your electric water heater keep tripping the breaker? Sometimes that could indicate a faulty heating element or elements. If the water heater is in fairly good condition the elements can be replaced. If your electric bill is unusually high that can also indicate a worn or failing heating elements.

If your kitchen sink is clogged and you want to try to plunge it DO NOT plunge the disposal side. The disposal has a seal in it that can be blown out if too much force is applied and the disposal will start leaking. If you must plunge the sink try the side that does not have the disposal and use the solid drain plug on the disposal to try to help direct the force towards the clog.