How to find a plumbing leak

There is no denying the fact that it is quite difficult to find plumbing leaks at home. This is because they are hidden most of the time.

In fact, a lot of people only learn that they have these leaks when they see a significant increase in their water bill. Many people realize a leak is in their home when their expensive appliances or walls get damaged due to these leaks.

In order to avoid such issues from arising, the following are a few ways through which you can easily find plumbing leak.

Monitor Your Water Bill

The quickest and easiest observation that can make in order to find if a plumbing leak exists is to monitor your water bill.

You can check the bills for the past few months and see if your water bill are consistently rising, or are higher than usual. First, try to identify why those bills are rising. If your water usage is listed with more gallons per month than usual, and there’s no noticeable reason why, then probably it is an issue of a plumbing leak.

Once you have monitored your bill and found that a problem exists, you should reach out to get assistance from a professional plumber. This is because many of your pipes may be underground or in a concrete slab, and only a professional plumber can help you find a plumbing leak in this matter.

Check Your Water Meter

Checking a water meter is another great way to identify a leak. In order to do that, you will first be required to turn off all the water in your home. Make sure everything that uses water is shut off. This may include washing machines and dishwashers.

Once you have done that, check the water meter. If there is a fast-moving leak, the water meter will be counting up constantly. However, if there is a slower leak, you may need to wait for two more hours to see the counter increase.

If the water meter is changing despite turning off all the water, there is definitely a plumbing leak in your house.

Use Food Coloring

As toilets are used a lot, around 30 percent of the total water consumption can be attributed to the toilet. It is for this reason that you should make certain that it is properly functioning.

There is a quick and simple way to check if your toilet is leaking. First, add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank. After that, wait for a while and observe if any color appears in your bowl.

If there is a leak, the color will leak its way into your toilet bowl, and you’ll see it in the bowl. This is because the leak allows the water to drain from your tank without the toilet being flushed.

Pay Attention to Water Pressure

At times plumbing leaks can also cause the water pressure to drop. If you notice that there is a drop in water pressure, try to turn off all the fixtures.

Now, after that, take a shower or fill the bath. If there is a leak, there may be much higher water pressure due to a leaking fixture no longer taking water.

It is important to note here that a drop in water pressure does not necessarily mean that there is a leak in your house. It can also mean that your showerhead is clogged, or that another issue may be present. In either case, you should get assistance from a professional plumber.