Finding Hidden Water Leaks in Your Home
Most water leaks are easy to spot because they are noticeable as a result of water wastage, foul smells or the growth of molds on/in the affected areas. However, there is a tiny category of water leaks that are not as easy to spot as the aforementioned. If this is the case, how do you figure them out – how do you find out these hidden leaks in your home before it degenerates into something bigger?
1: Do a Regular Water Meter Check
Water meter checks involve turning off all the water flow from the water source and making sure no machine is using water in your home. Once you have done this, take a look at your water meter to see if there is a change. If there is a change, it could come either immediately (for fast leaks) or after a couple of hours (for slow leaks which means you have to be patient and check again after a couple of hours); if there is no change, your water flow is all good and there is no leak.
2: Perform the Toilet Dye Test
Throw/pour a decent amount of food coloring into your toilet tank. Observe a 10-minute wait period. After the wait period, look into your toilet bowl and see for yourself. If you see colored water in your toilet bowl, it means there is a water leak directly from the tank to the drain without performing its sole function of flushing your toilet; this ought to be plugged immediately. But if the reverse is the case, your toilet is functioning properly.
3: Calculate Your Water Bill and Usage
If your water usage has remained constant in the past couple of months and suddenly, there is a spike in your water bill this month, it is worth looking into. Granted that you have covered bases by asking and answering questions such as “Do you have more people or an additional individual living in your home?” “Did you spend more time indoors (working from home, on vacation, etc.) this month?”, it is worth looking into – and plugging – possible leaks in the bathroom, around the shower region, around the sink region and elsewhere.
4: Check Your Outdoor Water Faucet
While you must have checked the faucets and spigots inside your home, those outside should be checked as well because they can leak as much water as those indoors; oftentimes, because there is no one watching, they leak more water than the indoor faucets. A good method for checking is by attaching a garden hose to the faucet, turning it on and seeing if there is any leakage through the hose-faucet connection.
Have you done these checks in your home and noted the results? If you have a water leak, now is the best time to call our team of experts at (941) 256-5580 for an estimate. We use advanced electronic leak detection equipment to locate leak sources in your home without invasion or disruption.
