Check For Water Leaks

The 2016 residential end uses of water study found that the average household loses about 17 gallons of water per day to indoor leaks.

Check for water leaks.

If there isn t any water escaping look for signs of a slow leak including marks on the floor below the valve or a hissing sound. If there is a leak you should hear hissing. Check for leaks in foundation walls. You should quickly be able to see a leak.

Leaks don t just happen inside the home they occur outside as well. Here are some other common places to check for leaks. Leaks from pipes plumbing fixtures and fittings are a significant source of water waste for many households. If the water meter test indicates a leak inside your home check the cabinets under the kitchen laundry and bathroom sinks to make sure they re dry.

If not the tank is leaking and you need a new water heater. Check the valves that take water into out of your boiler or water tank. Check outdoor hoses and be sure that they are turned off at the faucet and not just at the hand held valve. Some leaks are obvious such as dripping faucets and leaking water heaters.

Check for leaky appliances. Tank leaks often start slow and then suddenly burst days or weeks later causing a major household flood. If either is dripping replace the valve. To test for leaks add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank and wait 10 minutes.

To check for a toilet leak add some food coloring to the tank and let it sit for 10 minutes. If the color shows up in your bowl then you have a leak allowing water to flow from the tank to your drain without ever flushing the bowl. Some water bill spikes are caused by leaky appliances especially toilets so check them first. Then put your thumb knuckle on top of the screw driver and place that knuckle to your head just in front of your ear.

If you notice puddles near your water heater check the pressure relief valve and the drain valve. You should quickly be able to see a leak. If you want to find a water leak in your house check the walls by holding the metal tip of a screw driver to the metal part of your outside hose bibs. These leaks are seldom caused by faulty plumbing.

It s possible for hoses to lay in dirt or grass and drip water without the leak being visible. Check for movement of the flow indicator a smaller dial on the meter face. You ll also want to look for puddles. Given the right conditions water can seep into your house through the foundation walls.

Check under hot water heaters for a drip.