A plumbing or water line leak in your home can be hard to find. Learn some useful tips to make water leak detection easy on you.
Water leak detection is not an issue you may think of regularly, but it should be on your mind.
The last thing you want to experience is a water leak which leads to flooding in your home because it can cause a lot of damage and cost a lot of money at the same time. You want to be prepared. You want to learn how to check for water leaks!
How can you know what you need to look for and ensure you won’t suffer from a leak later?
Keep reading to learn about the basics of detecting a water leak and what you can do when you need help.
Water Leak Detection: The Basics
The first step is to check your water meter.
At this time, make sure that water is not running anywhere in the house or on the outside of the house. If on the water meter the dial is moving, it indicates a flow of water; this means there is a possibility that you have a water leak.
If you want to be certain, you can wait another 2 hours and take another reading. If the meter reading is different, it means you have a leak!
Remember that the water must be off when you’re checking.
Water Leak Detection: The Usual Suspects
Where exactly are the leaks coming from? This is important information to know before the problem can be resolved. Here are the usual places to look.
The Tap
If the tap is leaking, then the water under the sink will have to be shut off first.
Generally speaking, a leaking tap is caused by a worn-out rubber washer. And don’t worry because fixing a leaking tap is not too difficult.
The Toilet
A toilet leak is a bit more inconvenient than a tap. A simple and seemingly minor leak can still waste several litres of water.
To check if the toilet is leaking, open the tank and put a few drops of food colouring inside the water (in the tank).
If the food colouring appears in the toilet bowl (give it up to half an hour), then it means that you have a leaking toilet. The method for fixing a leaking toilet is also not challenging.
Excessive Condensation From The Air Conditioner
This may be one of the most overlooked water detection spots! Check your drip pan in your air conditioner unit to ensure there is no leak.
This can be fixed without needing to call a professional if you have the know-how to do it correctly.
Water Leak Detection: Where Else To Look
Here are the other places to check for water leaks:
- Front Yard: Check in your irrigation system and in the main service line.
- Showerheads: After you shower, if the tap is shut tightly, check if there is a leak from the showerhead. This may seem minor, but could be a serious leakage.
- Appliances: Whether it is your washing machine or your dishwasher, there can always be a water leak from the valves of these machines.
- Concrete/Underground: If you see any cracks in the concrete, or in the floors of your home, this could be because of water pushing up and breaking the floors. Do not delay as these can cause mold or mildew to arise!
Get Rid Of Those Water Leaks
If after taking the steps for water leak detection, you’ve unfortunately found a few water leaks in your home. Don’t worry!
Savvy Civils and Plumbing is South Africa’s best plumbing service and is here to help.
Give us a call at 087 806 6262 and be sure to visit our blog to solve more plumbing issues!
