If you think there’s a leak, don’t ignore your intuition. Here are some tips to help get to the bottom of things.
Watch the Water Meter
The first thing you can do to detect leaks around your home is to keep a close eye on the water meter and your water bill. If you’re noticing a spike in your bill, it might be because you have a leak.
If you suspect something:
- Turn off your appliances that use water
- Go outside and look at the meter
- If it’s still changing, you probably have a leak somewhere
- Call a professional to help
Watch for Water Stains
While you can see water puddling somewhere, you may not always have that advantage. Instead, watch for stains on the ceilings, the walls, or other locations to show you that water is leaking somewhere within your walls.
The place you see the stain may not be where the leak originates, since water can travel and settle long distances. You’ll want to have a professional check it out right away.
Check Outside
If you think there’s a leak somewhere:
- Check the exterior of your home as well
- If you have hoses left on, even a little, they can drip and lead to quite a bit of wasted water over time
- If you have irrigation systems or other such items outside, they can also leak underground, causing mushy sod and other indications
Get Inspections
It’s not always easy to tell whether or not you have a leak or where that leak is coming from, especially if you’re not a plumber yourself. If you suspect something is amiss, call a plumbing professional to inspect your plumbing system.
It’s never a bad idea to have an inspection because:
- You can have the peace of mind that things are operating as they should
- If there are any small issues, you can have them taken care of ahead of time before things worsen and turn into a true emergency