Water is a necessity in any home. However, it can be your worst nightmare if it does not go where it should. Spotting water leaks around your house can be a challenging task. It is important to inspect all your sources of water.
Water leaks can lead to severe damages to your home. Well, some leaks you can handle yourself while others require the hand of a professional. Here, we shall focus on how to find these water leaks and what to do about them.
Detecting water leaks in your home
In most instances, it is not easy to discover a water leak in your home. However, there are things to look out for to determine a water leak. They include;
1.   Monitoring your monthly water bills
The monthly water bill is easily predictable. If you have not been consuming excess water and receive a high water bill, there is likely to be a leak.
A family of four people will consume not more than 12,000 gallons in a month. This is according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Small leaks can waste more than 10,000 gallons in a year.
2.   Keeping an eye on the water meter
Monitoring the water meter is important if you are suspecting a leak. The following are the steps to follow when monitoring a meter;
- Ensure all the water taps in your house are turned off. Ensure the dishwasher and the washing machine are off.
- Take a record of the numbers you see in the water meter. If there is a change in numbers, then there is a leak.
- Ensure that the shut-off valve in your main water supply pipe is turned off.
- Recheck the water meter, note the numbers, and wait for an hour. If the numbers do not change still, the water leak is still there.
3.   Looking out for patches of greener grass
If one area of your yard is greener than the rest, then there is a likelihood of a leak somewhere. If the leak is in excess, you will see puddles on the ground surfaces.
4.   Investigating fixtures and appliances
Ensure that all the cabinets under the laundry, kitchen, or bathroom sinks are dry. This is because wet appliances can easily cause a leak in your house. Also check out for leaks under the sinks, bases, and faucet.
Hire water leak detection services to fix this problem if you cannot do it yourself.
5.   Being aware of leaking clues
You have to stay alert at the following leaking clues;
- Dripping sound-some leaks are silent while others can be heard. This can give you a clue on where the leak is located.
- Bubbling paint- if there is wet paint on your wall then there is a leak.
- Musty smell-there are smelly molds that grow inside a wall. This is an indicator of a leak.
- Wall discoloration- if the walls change suddenly in color, then there is a water leak.
6.   Staying vigilant at all times
Make it a regular practice of checking all the places that are likely to have water leaks. Consider getting water leak detection services annually. These professionals will do a thorough inspection and check for possible leaks.
The older your home becomes the lower your plumbing system.
7.   Looking at the exterior usage
Leaks are not only limited inside the house. The outside environment has not been left behind. Ensure all water connection areas outside are tight to avoid leaks.
Hire water leak detection services once every year. They will keep track of your irrigation system if there is any.
8.   Grabbing food color
To test whether there are leaks, add some drop to food color to your toilet. Then wait for about 10 minutes. If a color erupts inside your bowl, then there is a leak.
This is why it is important to ensure that your toilets are running well. They hold up to 30 percent of your water use.
9.   Mother nature
Mother Nature cannot be controlled. Sometimes it is to blame for almost all water woes. The beautiful oak tree in your compound can be causing damage underground.
Sudden temperature changes often cause pipes to contract and expand. They distribute the seals around the pipe joint. This easily causes a water leak.
How expert professionals locate water leaks
Hiring water leak detection services is the best way of curbing leaks in your house. Once they are on board, they do the following;
- Do a thorough walkthrough of your home. This will help them find out where the leaks are located.
- Next, they will check your water meter and get an idea of how much water was consumed.
- Using sound detection equipment, they will search for leaks inside your wall and underground.
- Once they find the leak itself, they will repair it to prevent any water damages in your house.
Early detection of water leaks can avert upcoming disasters. They also save you from spending so much money. In the event your leaking problems persist, it is in order to look for a plumber to sort you out.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
