Leaks are unpleasant. They can cause much water wastage. In some cases there may be damage to your property including the wood-work and furnishing. It is advisable to get the situation sorted before minor leaks get out of hand.
But a lot of times, you may not be able to spot a leak until it becomes visibly noticeable. Here are some tips that can help you detect leaks before it’s too late.
- Check the faucets and hose pipes
The most obvious leaks in your plumbing can come from the faucets and hose pipes. But such leaks may get unnoticed for a while before the leaking becomes significant. The water may trickle through faucets and hose pipes ever so slightly.
Make a careful observation of the faucets and hose pipes whenever at use. You should be able to notice trickling water easily. If that’s the case, make sure that the water outlet is properly shut.
A faulty washer or poor pipe connection could be the usual suspect for such leaks. If you have little experience with plumbing, you can attempt to replace the washer yourself.
- Look out for mold and mildew
Leaks may originate in pipes and drains located behind walls and under the floor tiles. Eventually you may notice color changes on the area of the wall. Green or brown colored patches may appear on the wall. This is a clear sign of mold growth.
Sometimes mold may grow without such clear signs. The mold may have grown behind cabinets, under the sink or behind the furniture. In such cases, you can take cue from foul smell, usually a musty odor.
- Detect toilet leaks
Leaks from the toilet can go unnoticed for days. A lot of water may go wasted from the toilet leaks without you even realizing that the problem exists. If you often find small puddles of water around the toilet base, you should check for a leak in the toilet to see if the toilet seal needs to be replaced.
You may be wondering “how do I test if my toilet is leaking“? To find out for sure if your toilet is leaking, you can add a little bit of food coloring to the water in the tank. Refrain from flushing for at least half an hour.
If you see colored water dripping into the toilet bowl, you’d know that there is a leak in the tank. You can fix this by contacting a professional leak detection company from Doral.
- Watch your water bill and usage
Notice a sudden surge in the utility bill? Indeed, this is a cause of concern if you can’t put a finger on the underlying cause for the spike.
Let’s give you a hint here. There may be a hidden leak!
Analyzing your monthly water usage and bills can bring to light some serious water leakage issues in your plumbing.
Of course, this is just an indication of the leak. You’ll have to get a thorough inspection by an experienced plumber to locate the actual source of leak.
- Outdoor and underground leaks
You may be well aware of the plumbing condition inside your home, but are you really on top of the thing outdoors? You may be ignorant of leaks at your garden hose connection or in the irrigation system. Leaks may occur in the pipes lying under the grass bed too.
A way to detect these outdoor leaks is to watch out for unusual damp patches in your otherwise dry lawn. Another clear sign may be a stream of water flowing through your backyard. In most cases, the leak may be lying deep below the surface. You definitely need expert help in such situations.