Water leaks can lead to increased bills and wasted water, but they can be very hard to detect. Here are some things you can do to check if you have a water leak in your home.
Turn off the taps
Firstly, make sure that all taps and other fixtures in your home are properly turned off. The taps should be tightly closed, showers should be shut off, and any machines such as dishwashers or washing machines should be switched off. This will make sure that nothing is dripping or wrongly connected.
Check the meter
Now that you know you are not using any water, check your meter. If it is still turning, water is escaping from your system somewhere and so you probably have a leak. A small leak will not have a huge impact on the meter and so you will have to compare the numbers after an hour or so. The more water that is being used, the bigger the leak.
Listen for leaks
You may be able to find the source of the leak just by using your ears. If you hear a hissing sound in your pipes or through your walls, water is still flowing even though you have turned everything off. Dripping is another sound that points to a leak. A common problem is for a small amount of water to be leaking from your cistern into your toilet. This will not cause damage but will increase your bills if it isn't fixed.
Check outdoors
If you don't find anything indoors, you may have a problem with an outside tap or lawn sprinkler. This can be hard to detect, as the leaking water tends to evaporate rather than pool on the floor. Visually inspect your taps, and check underneath them for any damp patches. An underground leak from your sprinkler can be identified by damp or green patches on the lawn.
Call a plumber
When you have found a leak, on no account should you attempt to fix it yourself. This can be dangerous and is likely to be illegal. Instead, you should call a licensed plumber as soon as you suspect you have a leak. They will be able to identify the problem and fix it safely and effectively.
Conclusion
Although you can look for leaks yourself, this is no substitute for calling a professional plumber, who will have the necessary equipment and experience to detect the leak.
For more information about water leak detection, contact a local professional.
Share27 July 2023
If you experience plumbing problems, you will no doubt want to take action to get them fixed as soon as possible. Plumbing issues can lead to serious damage to your property so it is important that you take action fast. My name is Jackie and I would like to give you some advice on the steps you should take if your property develops a plumbing problem. I'm not a plumber myself but when my water pipes started to leak, I had to call out a plumber. The contractor who visited my home gave me lots of useful tips on how I could maintain my plumbing system.
