How to Find Water Leaks in Your Home
Water leaks inside your home can not only cause a great deal of damage to your home and property, but it can also waste a large amount of water. Water is a precious resource in this country – far too precious to waste through leaky plumbing. So, if you’re worried about water leaks in your home, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few helpful tips to help you find water leaks in your home from the plumbing professionals here at Service Pros Plumbers:
Determining if a Leak Exists
The first step in finding the leaks in your home is to identify a leak. The simplest solution is to turn off all the water in your home and check the meter. Make sure no one uses water for fifteen minutes and recheck the meter. If the number has changed, then a leak is likely. How much the number has changed will determine the severity of the leak.
Of course, this test will only help to determine larger leaks. Small leaks, such as drippy faucets, will not generally appear in a quick 15-minute test. That being said, those are not minor leaks. For example, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, one single faucet in your home that leaks five drips per minute wastes 173 gallons of water over a year. If the number of drips per minute increases to 20 (that’s one drip every three seconds), the number of gallons wasted per year increases to 694.
Common Leak Culprits in the Home
These are some of the most common sources of household leaks and simple ways to identify them.
Toilet Leaks – these leaks are typically hidden and a little more difficult to discern. The easiest test for this is the food coloring test. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank of your toilet. Wait 15 or so minutes, then check the bowl. If the water in the bowl is colored, you leak your flapper.
Leaks in Faucets, Showers, and Tubs – These leaks are widespread. These leaks are often easy to detect by sight or by sound.
Swimming Pool Leaks – because pools hold so much water, they can be a huge source of water waste if ever a leak is sprung – leading to a giant water bill besides. The bucket test is the simplest method for checking if your pool is leaking. First, fill a bucket with water and place a tape along the water line inside and outside the bucket. Then place the bucket on the top step of your pool. Wait 24 hours, then mark the new water line inside and outside the bucket. If the water level outside the bucket has dropped more than the bucket’s water level, you most likely leak into your pool.
Call A Plumber
If you find leaks in your home, it is generally best to call a plumber from Service Pros Plumbers. Unless, however, you are confident in your abilities to repair them. Our strong recommendation is to contact us for a plumbing inspection. We’ll check out your plumbing and provide you with peace of mind that you are not wasting water or causing any water damage to your home.
We offer professional plumbing services in the following locations:
- • Antioch plumbers
- • Pittsburg plumbers
- • Pleasant Hill plumbers
- • Walnut Creek plumbers
- • Martinez plumbers
- • Alamo plumbers
- • Lafayette plumbers
- • Moraga plumbers
- • Orinda plumbers
- • Danville plumbers
- • Oakley plumbers
- • San Palbo plumbers
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