Water leaks are more than some wasted water and noise disrupting your beauty sleep. They can cost you hundreds of dollars in utility bills and thousands of dollars in water damage repair. While annual plumbing inspections typically involve a leak detection, property owners should remain vigilant for signs of trouble year-round.
In this brief article brought to you by Mr. Rooter Plumbing, we share some tips on how to know if you have water leaks in your property. If you’d rather leave this work to a trained and experienced plumber, then call Mr. Rooter to hire a uniformed professional.
Setting up auto-pay for your utility bills is convenient, but don’t get complacent. Remember to scrutinize your water usage every month. Compare your bills month-to-month and year-to-year to spot unusual trends. If you notice a sudden spike in your water usage without any change in your habits, it’s time to investigate.
Your water meter offers a quick way to check for apparent and hidden leaks alike. Here’s how to use it to your advantage:
- Turn off all water-using appliances, such as faucets, dishwashers, and washing machines.
- Locate your water meter.
- Note the reading on the meter.
- Wait for 30 minutes, and make sure not to use any water during that time.
- Check the meter again.
If the reading has changed, you likely have a leak somewhere in your plumbing system.
Discoloration or water stains on walls, ceilings, or floors are notorious telltale signs of a leak. Water can travel through your home or building in unexpected ways, so the source of the leak might not be directly above the stain. However, these spots should never be ignored. Check around toilets and showers, under sinks, near water heaters and appliances, and along baseboards and ceilings.
- Listen for unusual sounds
The earliest sign of a leak is typically sound – especially if it’s hidden behind walls or under floors. Keep your ears on alert for dripping noises, the sound of running water, and/or hissing sounds near pipes or water appliances. Turn off the water supply and contact plumbers in Hermitage if you hear any of these noises.
Toilets are one of the most common places for water leaks, and they’re often hard to detect because they don’t always make noise. Luckily, testing for toilet leaks is simple enough:
- Add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank.
- Wait about 10-15 minutes without flushing.
- Check the toilet to see if the dye has made its way into the toilet bowl.
Toilet leaks are significant because they can waste thousands of gallons of water through the year and most people never notice. Plus, fixing these leaks are relatively inexpensive and simple.
Without a doubt, the best bet to catching leaks is through a professional leak detection. Plumbers in Madison employ their experience and expertise as well as sophisticated tools like infrared cameras and acoustic leak detectors to pinpoint even the most hidden leaks without tearing up walls or floorboards.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing is proud to offer upfront pricing and emergency assistance, so give us a call or message at any time of the day to get in touch with a member of our team.
