3 Ways to Detect a Water Leak in Your Home

Most modern plumbing systems are incredibly efficient and produce very little waste when properly maintained. When leaks do take place, however, it can result in expensive damage unless they are repaired immediately. This is why every Chandler homeowner should understand some of the basic methods that they can use to test for leaks, drips, and other forms of damage.

Track Your Water Consumption

The easiest way to identify a hidden plumbing leak is to keep track of your home’s water consumption. Homeowners should make a point to collect and save their water bills and then occasionally compare those bills. Instead of comparing the bills between consecutive months, you should look at bills of the same month between different years. The reason for this is that many families use a different amount of water between months, but water consumption should be relatively consistent at the same time of each year.

Test With the Water Meter

Many water heaters have a leak indicator which can be identified by a triangle dial or small silver wheel. If your leak indicator is moving, then there might be damage somewhere in the system and you should contact a plumber for emergency repairs. Unfortunately, these indicators are not always accurate and sometimes even give a false positive. The primary dial on the meter can also be used to detect a leak by turning off all water sources in and out of the house. You can write down the current level of water use and then wait for a short period of time before checking on the dial once again. A leak is most likely taking place if the water level has moved significantly or the gauge continues to spin.

Inspect the Plumbing System

When in doubt, it is always a good idea to contact a professional plumber. Slow leaks are not only difficult to detect, but they can also waste hundreds of gallons of water every single year. Your plumber will have the tools and skills needed to find and repair leaks of any size. Even if you do not believe that you have a leak, most specialists suggest that plumbing systems are inspected at least once a year. This is the most effective way to avoid serious damage in the future caused by old pipes, tree roots, damaged water heaters, and the countless other issues that take place on Chandler residential property.

Call ABC Plumbing & Rooter at (480) 726-1600 today to get your system checked out by a professional plumber!