Locating Water Leaks in Your Home
8/26/2021 (Permalink)
In Northern Virginia, water leaks are more than just a nuisance. Undetected leaks — or those that are simply ignored — can eventually lead to costly repairs and further water damages due to rot, microbial growth from extra moisture, and other extensive damage. Finding and fixing a water leak early and before it gets out of hand can save you money and avert potential disaster.
The first sign of a hidden leak can be an unusually higher than normal water bill. Once you have ruled out that the cause is not due to extra water use by house guests or from watering your lawn and garden during the warm-weather months, an undetected leak is the likely culprit.
Did you know that fixing even minor household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills?
There are a few different ways to check for hidden water leaks. The first tool is your water meter.
In addition to telling the utility company how much water you have consumed; your home’s water meter can also be used to your advantage to find hidden water leaks.
Follow these simple steps to uncover your water leak:
- Stop using all water inside and outside the house. This includes all the indoor faucets, outdoor faucets, water-using appliances, ice makers, and automatic backflow cleaning in whole-house water filters. Do not flush the toilet during the test.
- Locate your water meter. If your meter has a water flow indicator, watch the indicator for movement. This is a small rotating wheel on the meter that can detect even small amounts of water flow. If it moves when you know no one’s using any water, then there is a leak somewhere in your house.
- If you do not have a water flow indicator, record the numbers that appear on the meter. Wait a few hours (remember not to use any water during this time).
- Check the meter. If the meter reading goes up, it is an indication of a hidden water leak.