Leaky toilets can flush money down drain

Dear Heloise: My mother is 100 and 7 months old and lives in her own home with a caregiver.

I noticed that the water bill crept up from $40 to $65. A new washing machine and garbage disposal were recently installed, and I thought that might have contributed to the increase. After using my mother’s toilet, I noticed a slight ripple and decided to replace the toilet flapper.

The water bill just came in for the past month, and the bill was $20 less! A little ripple in the toilet must have wasted a lot of water. Pete Smith, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Pete, you were very nice when I called to check that it is all right to print your mother’s age! You said yes, she would be delighted.

Yes, a leaky toilet or dripping faucet can really run up the water bill! Speaking of saving water, check out the next hint. Heloise

Dear Heloise: My maternal grandmother taught me to conserve water when I was young. It’s not necessary to have the water taps at full blast to do most things we’re going to do in a sink! Unless the sink is plugged and you need to fill the sink, a mild stream of water can be used to rinse dishes or wash hands. And, if you’re trying to dampen a towel or sponge, why send as much or more water down the drain?

I rarely miss your column. Great new hints, and great reminders for everyone. Randall Newsom, Baton Rouge, La.

Randall, good advice that we all can learn from. Say hello to my friends in your charming city. I had a wonderful time when I was last there to speak at a travel professionals convention. Heloise

Dear Heloise: My son is a volunteer firefighter. During a large house fire, he said it was difficult for the family, during the trauma and confusion of watching their home burn, to think of what to save from the fire. You should never stay in a burning building to save your belongings.

Firefighters at the scene may be able to enter a building to retrieve important possessions, so prepare ahead of time for this by keeping a list of things you treasure, including a description and the location. Sharon Musil, Houston

A special thanks to all the firefighters who put their lives on the line every time they fight a fire! Heloise

Dear Heloise: When my husband and I were traveling in our motor home (he was driving), he would ask me to make him a sandwich, hamburger or hot dog. He usually ended up wearing most of it ... ketchup, mustard, tomato juice.

So I came up with the idea to slide the sandwich partly into a plastic sandwich bag, and while eating the sandwich, the juices drop into the bag and not on your clothes. This saved many a day. Joyce Johnson, Macclenny, Fla.

SBlt Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate