How to Detect Leaks In Your Home

Undetected leaks can destroy your drywall, ruin the flooring and carpets or damage your furniture. A single inch of water may result in repairs of up to $25,000. Beyond being a nightmare for any homeowner, leaks also negatively impact the planet. The average household wastes about 10,000 gallons of water yearly due to leaks, a precious resource that should be conserved.

Luckily, catching them early can help you prevent further damage, save water and avoid excessive water bills. Read on to learn how to detect leaks in your home.

Signs of Water Leaks in Your Home

Obvious leaks, such as a dripping faucet, may be easy to identify. However, if the leak is coming from a hidden supply line, you may only notice it once it worsens. Knowing the warning signs is a good first step in detecting leaks in your home:

• Increased water bills: A water bill that suddenly skyrockets often signals a leak, especially if there is no explanation, such as a change in your household’s water use. Even seemingly small leaks can add up quickly.
• Wet spots: Visible dampness, especially in areas such as your bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, may point to a leak. You may notice wet spots on the floor, ceilings or walls — if it’s a minor leak, these may be hard to see.
• Mold, mildew and musty odors: Water leaks create damp environments, ideal for mold and mildew growth. Humidity and stale smells can also indicate leaks in basements, behind cabinets or under sinks.
• Sagging ceilings or misshapen floors: These can be the most alarming signs of a leak and should addressed immediately. If a sunken ceiling appears out of nowhere, this could mean a large leak between the levels of your home. Water damage in the floorboards or subflooring may cause issues such as warping, bulging or spongy spots — you may feel these changes before you see them.
• Damaged paint or wallpaper: When saturated with water, painted walls usually peel or blister. You’ll likely see wallpaper separate due to the adhesive disintegrating.
• Stains and discoloration: Any brown or yellow stains on your walls or ceiling that get bigger over time are also clear signs of a leak. A common cause of ceiling discoloration is an overflowing toilet on the above floor.
• Unfamiliar sounds: When you’ve lived in the same house for a while, you become familiar with the sounds it makes. Unusual noises like dripping, running or sloshing water could indicate an issue with the plumbing. Although water is constantly moving through your main supply lines, you shouldn’t be able to hear it.
• Reduced water pressure: When no other fixtures are in use, a drop in your home’s water pressure can indicate a system leakage.
• Patches of greener grass: While many homeowners want a beautiful lawn, one patch that looks lusher than the rest could mean it’s getting more water thanks to a leaking pipe under the ground. If the leak is significant, or if there are several, there may also be puddles of water.

How to Test for Water Leaks

Although water stains or dripping walls usually alert homeowners to a water leak in their house, some leaks have no telltale signs. Perhaps you’ve noticed that your water bill is suddenly more expensive but haven’t seen any of the more visual red flags. Or maybe there are some visible indicators, but you want to confirm your suspicions about the source of the issue.

Whatever your reason, you can use these simple methods to for water leak testing:

Check Your Water Meter

Testing your water meter is one of the best ways to confirm whether you have a leak. First, turn off all the water in your home. Then, observe the meter. If it is still running, you may have a fast-moving leak.

It is important to note that you might not see a change immediately in the reading. Check back after a few hours — if there is a noteworthy change, you likely have a slow-moving leak.

Put Food Coloring in Your Toilets

Leaking toilets are often linked to higher-than-usual utility bills. Additionally, because they are located on higher floors and connected to waste pipes, toilets can cause significant damage through leakages.

To determine whether a leaky toilet is the culprit, add some food coloring to the tank and leave it overnight. If the water in the bowl has changed color by the morning, there is likely a leak between the bowl and the tank.

If you have noticed wet spots or stains on the ceiling beneath the toilet, measuring the distance between the dampness or discoloration is a helpful way to determine which pipe is responsible for the leak.

Examine Appliance Connections

Large appliance connections are a common area for leaks. For example, water heaters tend to fail at the tubes where water enters and exits the tank, which may be impacted by high pressure. When inspecting this part, check whether the seal at the point where the line and tank connect is still intact.

You should also look at the pressure relief valve, which is usually located near the tank. Valves that have seen better days often leak — if you notice any wear and tear, it’s time to replace them. The valve at the bottom of the tank is another area prone to leakages, so remember to check this part too.

Along with the water heater, assess your dishwasher’s and washing machine’s connections and drains. Oxidation or discoloration might indicate a slow leak.

Inspect Hidden Pipes

In addition to underground plumbing, your home may have pipes hidden by concrete slabs, walls, basements and ceilings. If detecting a leak from one of these pipes sounds daunting, don’t worry — doing so is possible as long as you know what to look for.

Start by performing the meter test. Check your floors, walls and ceilings for mold, mildew or rotting materials. You can also call in professionals for plumbing leak detection. Such companies often use cutting-edge technology to identify the sounds of water leakages below ground.

Evaluate Outdoor Faucets and Systems

Your leak may be coming from outside the house, so remember to test your outdoor faucets. Connect a garden hose to exterior faucets and turn them on. If water trickles from the connection, you should replace the rubber gasket and check that the connection is sealed correctly.

A minor leak in your irrigation system could also be responsible for wasting thousands of gallons of water every month. As these systems can be trickier to inspect, hire an expert to do so at least once a year.

How to Fix Water Leaks

Once you have identified the source of the leak, such as a dripping pipe connection, you should turn off the water supply until it is repaired.

While it may be tempting to Google a how-to video and fix the leak yourself, this may cause more harm than good. If you have little to no plumbing experience, you are at risk of botching the job — just think about the headache you would have to deal with if you accidentally break a pressurized line. Along with potential water damage, you might waste time and money with more extensive repairs than you initially needed.

Additionally, leaks are usually a sign of a more serious plumbing problem. Plumbers have spent years training how to fix leaks, so you are much better off hiring an expert, such as the HB Home Service Team technicians. With us, you have the peace of mind that you’ll have access to an experienced, licensed and insured plumber. We’ll get the job done right the first time, repairing the leak before it causes further issues.

If you still can’t find the leak even after using testing methods, we can also help detect the source.

As with most things, prevention is better than cure. Remember to frequently check for signs of a leak in your home and schedule a yearly professional inspection. Being proactive can help you save thousands by avoiding future damage and repairs.

Detect and Fix Leaks With the HB Home Service Team

As a proudly family-run business, the HB Home Service Team is one of the top plumbing companies in Central Pennsylvania. We offer a range of plumbing services, including leak detection and repair. Whether you need to replace a leaky water heater or are dealing with a burst pipe, you can rely on us.

Regardless of the problem, our 24/7 emergency plumbing services mean our technicians will be at your doorstep the day you call. Even if you’re unsure whether you have a crisis, you should contact us if the leak is causing discomfort in your home or disrupting your and your family’s daily life. Call 717-232-HEAT for emergencies, or schedule an appointment online.