September 1, 2020
It’s pretty easy to spot obvious water leaks in your home, but what about dreaded HIDDEN leaks? First, you need to confirm whether you have a leak, and next you need to figure out where the leak is located.
To determine whether you have a leaking pipe, try these tips.
The first thing you’re going to want to try is turning off all your faucets, making sure your washer and dishwasher aren’t running, and that no one is taking a shower. Then, go outside and check your water meter.
If you still see that number changing right in front of your eyes, then you have a big leak and need to contact us right away! On the other hand, let’s say you make a mental note of the number on your meter, then come back in a couple of hours, and it has changed — even though you have no water running. That means you probably have a small leak. This could even be in an underground pipe.
If your water bill keeps going up each month, but you’re sure you’re not using any more water, that’s a big indicator of a leak, too. Remember, a lot of leaks aren’t obvious, and you can’t find them anywhere in your home… They could be in pipes underground!
Another thing you could check out, if something seems off with your water usage, is the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website. The EPA says that each person uses an average of 88 gallons of water per day in their home. (They also say that this figure could go down by 20%, if you have efficient plumbing fixtures. Stop flushing money down the toilet!) If your water bill says you are using significantly more than that (more than 2,700 gallons of water a month per person), then you have a hidden leak lurking about.
To figure out where hidden leaks are located, keep these super-sleuth tips in mind.
You can tell that the plumbing underneath your floor/foundation is leaking if there is a warm spot, or if you can hear the sound of water running under the floor. Also, check the back of all your cabinets and under your sinks for smells and/or mold.
Go outside and check the spigots. When your hose is turned on, water should not be leaking around the hose gasket.
Test whether your toilet is leaking. What you’re going to do is lift the tank lid off the toilet, and put a few drops of food coloring in. Now, you’re going to wait and see whether the color shows up in the toilet bowl. If it does, that means water is flowing from your toilet tank down your drain, without ever flushing the toilet. Uh oh, leaky toilet!
Leak location, detection, and elimination is one of our specialties here at Parker & Sons. Oftentimes you have to have a plumber look in order to find hidden leaks. Our skilled plumbers will be happy to prevent you from having a disaster!
Phoenix and Tucson residents can count on us for perfectly watertight service!
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