Water leaks are more than a headache and nuisance. Water leaks can result in damage. They can cost you money when your water bill comes in. It is important to know the signs that you have a water leak. If you are concerned you may have a leak, the first thing you can do is look at the water bill and your water meter. This helps you determine if there is a leak somewhere in the home. You can also check your likely places for a leak, such as faucets and toilets. You can even look outside to see if there is an outdoor pipe or pool that is leaking. If you can’t find the leak, or you find a leak and don’t know how to fix it, there are professional Pittsburgh plumbing services that can help.
Check The Meter
One way to know whether you have a leak is to check the water bill and meter. The water bill can be used to see if your bill is above average. Get your bill from last month and make a comparison. If the bill has increased significantly, this can be a sign that there is a leak. If you’re not sure if there is a leak; check the water meter. Most individuals average around 88 gallons of water a day. Your monthly usage is on your water bill as a unit called CCF, or centum cubic feet. You can convert this number to gallons to see what your monthly water bill is. You can divide this number by the number of days in the billing cycle and then by the number of people living in the home to see if you are using more than the average use of water in a day. This can help determine if there is a leak.
You can call the utility company to find where your water meter is. Most of the time, this meter is found under a metal plate in the driveway or in your yard. Sometimes, it may be inside a box. Once you have found the meter, you can check if the meter is moving. Make sure that the water inside and outside the home is turned off. Once everything is turned off, go to the meter. There should be a small arrow that shows when water is moving. If the arrow moves quickly or the low flow indicator rotates, there is a leak somewhere. You can also turn all the water off for about twenty minutes. This will allow you to see if there is a slow leak. Go to the meter and write down what it says. Make sure that everything in the home is off. After twenty minutes have passed, check the meter again. If the reading changes, there is a leak. If there is a leak, a full-service plumbing company like Kwiatkowski Plumbing can assist in locating and repairing the leak.
Look For Leaks Inside
If you are worried that there is a kitchen plumbing leak, you can physically check for leaks inside your home. First, turn off all the water in the home. Make sure that no appliances, toilets, or sinks are using water. You can even turn the valves off to make sure that there is no water being used. This allows you to see if water is moving through the pipes when it shouldn’t. Once everything is off, go to the basement if you have one. Listen for the sounds of water moving in the pipes. If you have a basement, this is where you will most likely be able to hear water in the pipes. If you hear water running when it is not being used, there is a leak. You can try to follow the sound back to the source. If your home doesn’t have a basement walk around the rooms and hallways in your home. You can also look at the ceilings and under sinks. If there is a leak, there may be signs of water damage in these areas. You can check the carpets and floors as well. If there is water damage on the ceiling, it could indicate a leak. However, you should be aware that this could also mean that there is a problem with your roof.
Go to the water heater and listen to see if there is water running in or close to the water heater. The water heater is normally found in a closet or a garage. You don’t want to touch the water heater as you check it. If you see dripping water, call a specialist to fix the problem. If you are worried that you need bathroom plumbing repair for a leak with your toilet, there is an easy way to check this as well. You can use food coloring. Squirt some food coloring into the tank of all the toilets in the home. Refrain from flushing any of the toilets for an hour. After the hour has passed, check the toilet bowls. If there is food coloring in the bowl, then there is a leak. If you have leaky faucets, this can be a sign that there is a leak.