Cooler days mask quiet household problems that nibble away at money and comfort as taps, cisterns and joints tire together.

Wrap one wind of stem packing rope around the stem. Tighten the packing nut and open the valve. If it still leaks, back off ...

You could be paying for water you never use. The signs whisper behind walls, under sinks, and inside cisterns. Across the country, households are letting ...