Suspecting a Leak at Home? Here’s How You Can Catch It Early
A water leak at home is no minor issue that homeowners can ignore or hope will resolve on its own. If left untreated, water leaks can cause damage to furniture, appliances, the very foundation of a home, and even rack up bills associated with water consumption and repair costs.
It is imperative, then, that a water leak be caught early before it can cause too much damage. To do this, homeowners must know exactly what they are looking for to determine the potential presence of a leak at home.
How To Tell If It’s a Leak
Most of the time, it’s pretty easy to tell if there’s a leak at home. After all, diagnosing a leaking pipe or a dripping faucet doesn’t require rocket science. If water is coming out of a system that’s supposed to be closed, that must be a leak. This is true - to some extent. After all, this can only apply to visible leaks. It is far less cut-and-dried for most of a home’s plumbing concealed within floors, ceilings, walls, and underground.
When trying to detect if a leak is occurring somewhere that is hidden from sight, homeowners must attune themselves to the following signs that help with accurate leak detection:
- Water damage - A water leak, even if it isn’t visible, will always show signs of damage around the area where it is escaping. This could be warped wood, soaked carpets and upholstery, water stains, and even peeling or blistering paint.
- Poor water pressure - A leak in the plumbing will also lead to low water pressure, resulting from water escaping from the pipes before it reaches an open fixture. The leak means that only a fraction of the entire volume of water that is flowing through the pipes makes its way to its final destination, showing up as a sluggish flow of water no matter how much we open up the tap.
- Visible mold growth - Mold and mildew thrive in damp environments, so visible mold should indicate that a leak likely causes wet spots.
Your Water Bill Shouldn’t Be That High
Most of the symptoms mentioned above are anecdotal evidence, but if quantitative observations back them up, it makes for a stronger case that a leak is indeed the culprit. An unusually high utility bill is one such quantitative measure of a water leak’s unwelcome presence in your home.
Leaks mean that water continues to flow even if all taps are turned off, which keeps the meter running and pushes up the water bill. Homeowners facing a higher-than-normal monthly water charge should start investigating where the possible spike in consumption is coming from, especially if there have been no significant changes in water usage at home for the affected period.
Making the Most of Your Water Meter
Another way to verify the presence of a leak is to use the home’s water meter for water leak detection. To do this, all a homeowner has to do is shut off the water main and then get a reading on the water meter.
Any significant difference in the reading after an interval of a few hours should indicate a leak since water should not be flowing while the main water is turned off. A water meter that continues to move shows that the water is escaping somewhere and should be addressed with a visit from a professional plumber who can conduct the appropriate water leak repair.
About Daniels Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC
Daniels Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC is Albuquerque's trusted plumbing, heating, and air conditioning solutions provider and its surrounding communities. They offer quality service and personal care to all customers who find that their complete range of residential and commercial plumbing services get the job done thoroughly and professionally. Their expert workmanship and 24/7 availability guarantee 100% satisfaction. Call them today for plumbing service in Albuquerque, NM.
