While water is necessary to fulfill our daily needs, a water leak can lead to greater water damage to your home, which is why it is important to know how to find a leak in your home. In this article, we will discuss ways to detect a leak in your house so you can fix it without delay.
How To Find A Leak In Your Home?
↠ Monitor Your Water Bill
Usually, you can predict water bills easily because water use remains pretty consistent most of the year. So, if you receive a water bill that is higher than usual, there is a chance your house may have a water leak.
According to EPA, a typical household doesn’t use more than 10,000-12,000 gallons of water each month other than in summers when they may use extra water for gardening and watering lawns.
You can quickly detect if there is a leak in your home by paying attention to your water bills.
↠ Test Your Toilets
Toilets are one of the most common areas for water leaks. The water from the tank can continuously leak into the toilet due to a faulty toilet flapper. To test if there is a leak in your toilet, do this.
- Put a few drops of food dye in your toilet tank.
- Wait for five minutes.
- If there is color in your toilet bowl, you will know that your toilet has a water leak.
↠ Check The Water Meter
If you think there is a water leak in your home, you should check your water meter to confirm your doubts. The water meter in your home should be in the back or side of your house near the place where the main water supply line enters your home. To check your water meter do this.
- Turn off all the taps & faucets in your home and ensure that the washing machine and dishwasher are not running.
- Check your water meter after this and note down the numbers.
- After a while, again check the water meter. If the numbers are higher than before, you have a water leakage problem.
↠ Check Your Lawn
If an area of your lawn has more plant or grass growth than other areas and if it’s near a water line, there is a high chance of a water leak. There may even be some water puddles near the area in case of a severe water leak.
↠ Check The Appliances
If you think that the source of a water leak is inside your home, you should check all the cabinets and closets near sinks to ensure that they are dry. Another tell-tell sign of a water leak is the puddles near appliances like the water heater, washing machines, and dishwasher. In case you find a puddle of water near any of these, immediately turn off the water supply valve to these appliances and call a plumber.
How To Find A Leak In Your Home When It’s Hidden
Sometimes a water leak in your home is not very obvious, and it can be hard to detect the water leak. But wherever there is a water leak, you can find it by the following subtle signs of a water leak.
↠ A Dripping Sound
One of the clearest signs of a water leak is the continuous dripping sound. By listening closely, you can know the location of the water leak.
↠ Discolored Wall
If your wall is discolored, it can be due to water seeping into it through the drywall. If you notice this, you should call a professional water damage restoration service to fix the leak and remove water from your wall.
↠ Bubbling Paint
Bubbling paint is a result of a wet wallboard because of which the paint is not adhering. If the damage is more extensive, you may need to call professionals to replace the wallboard.
↠ A Musty Odor
Mold growth occurs in a humid environment, and it is the cause of the unpleasant musty odor. So if you smell the musty odor and notice black spots on your it can be the result of mold growth caused due to a leak.
Wrapping Up
You should know how to find a leak in your home. Not only to save the depleting water but also to save your home from greater water damage. The methods and signs we have listed here will help you detect a water leak in your home.
If the leak is significant and has already damaged your ceiling or roof, immediately call a professional water damage restoration service to help you out.
