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How to Spot Hidden Water Leaks In Your Home

water leak

Water cleanups are common in Utah; flash floods, landslides, and disasters due to collapsed dams are among the realities Utahns face. Detecting water leaks can keep you from spending significant amounts of money on repairs and renovations. Early detection can also prevent potential accidents., so watch out for these signs that you might have a water leak.

Your Water Meter Is Running Inexplicably

Turn off all the water in your home and watch the water meter to see if it changes. Give your meter two hours for the changes to fully take place. If your faucets, dishwasher, and washing machine are off, but the meter is still moving, you probably have a leak. Even if your appliances or indoor pipes have no leaks, you might have one outside the house or underground.

Also, monitor your winter water usage. If you are a family of four and your monthly consumption exceeds the national average of 300 gallons of water per day, you might have a serious leak in your system.

Your Water Bill Is Constantly Rising

When your bill rises, but your consumption does not change, you probably have a water leak. Gather bills from the past few months and see if there is a steady increase over time. If so, the leak might be underground.

Warm spots on the floor, especially under slab piping, or the sound of running water inside walls need professional attention. If you let leaks go unaddressed, they will be the first source of problems during the rainy season. If not, be prepared for flood cleanups or worse.

The Water Flows Where It Shouldn’t

Test for toilet pipe leaks by adding food coloring to your toilet tank and waiting for a few minutes. If the color in your bowl changes, you have a leak from the tank to the drain. A toilet system makes up 30 percent of a household’s water use, so you should ensure it is fully functional.

A leak can also happen outside the home. For instance, you can check outside spigots for leaks by attaching a garden hose to them. If the water seeps through the connection while the hose is running, you need to replace the rubber hose gasket. Contact a professional and schedule regular maintenance checks for your irrigation system. Even a tiny leak could waste thousands of gallons of water per month.

There Is Water in Areas That Should Be Dry

Check the back of cabinets and under basins for foul smells, mold, or other indications of a leak. Noticing changes like these will save you thousands of dollars in repairs. If you have regularly scheduled maintenance checks, your plumber should be able to report on these.

If your home is more than 25 years old, your plumbing system will surely be on the decline. Inspect accessible connections at pumps, the water heater, and the washing machine. Be on the lookout for oxidation and discoloration—these are signs of slow leaks.

Conclusion

All homes would need repairs at some point. Some homeowners are especially watchful, able to catch things like pipe leaks and roof repairs before they become a problem. For others, these things can creep up on them, eventually leading to roof repairs or water cleanups. Utah is no stranger to floods, so keeping your home safe means being more diligent about monitoring your home for things that need fixing.

Trust our services from AAA Restoration Utah to keep your house strong and ready to weather any storm. Our Salt Lake flood cleanup services help you quickly get your home back on track, and our other maintenance, cleaning, and construction services will help you stay the course. Contact us today for more information!