Leaks in a house are more than annoying; they could serve as harbingers of ruin and expense. For most homeowners, a continuous subtle drip from a faucet, to a mysterious puddle forming under a pipe, these spell more than mere waste of water.
Most often, the roots of the leaks are a sign of a bigger problem to come. However, the challenge often lies not just in addressing these leaks but in detecting their origins in the first place. Pinpointing and fixing water leaks can only be accomplished once armed with the right know-how and equipment. With these, you will be able to protect your home and its inhabitants.
If you are looking for how to find water leaks, keep reading. The article below will tell you all about it. We also discuss how to fix these leaks.
How to Unearth Water Leaks in Your Home
Instead of panicking when you see a pool of water in some out-of-route place, apply a methodical approach to identify the source of the leak. There could be numerous places to look, from visible to under-floor or wall piping/wall conduits, but checking first is nipping the problem in the bud.
How To Find Water Leaks: Step-by-Step Leak Detection
a. Review Your Water Bill
An upsurge in the cost of water is at times the first indicator of a leak within your system. Review your bills; if there is a sharp rise in your water usage that is not consistent with what is normal for you, then you might have a leak somewhere.
b. Test using a water meter
Still on how to find water leaks, another way involves monitoring the water meter of your house when all the taps are turned off. It is obviously moving, then probably your system has some leakage.
c. Toilet Dye Test
Toilets are one of the greatest contributors to in-house leaks. To determine any entering water that gets into the bowl with no flush, just add a few drops of food dye into the tank's water. If the colored water appears in the bowl within 15 minutes, there is a leak in the flapper valve.
Tackling Small Leaks Yourself
Not all leaks are disastrous and messy. Most of the minor problems like a dripping faucet, or a running toilet can be repaired at home effectively with common tools. These usually involve replacing parts like washers or toilet flappers, which are readily available at hardware stores. The thumb rule however, is that before you start to repair anything, turn off the main water supply.
Conclusion: When to Call in the Experts
Some leaks are a sign of something major. For example, a leak that happens in the walls and floors or that can result in the failure of the structural parts of the home will need professional intervention. A constant ringing in your ears every time you try to sleep, a leak that keeps coming back, a continual presence of mold or mildew, or water damage on walls or ceilings that won't seem to go away also warrant calling in the pros. They have the right expertise and set of tools to aid in diagnosing and problem-solving, hence successfully securing the home.
