How to Find a Water Leak In Your Home In 5 Easy Steps

A water leak inside or outside your house can cost you a lot of money in wasted water. It can also damage your home if it isn’t dealt with quickly.

Toilets account for more than a quarter of your water bill. So, if you’ve got a leak there it will quickly increase your water usage.

Knowing how to find a water leak in your home is easy to do and will keep you from expensive plumbing repairs down the road.

To help you find out if you have a water leak, we’ve put together a handy guide with 5 easy steps you should take.

1. Check the Water Meter

The first thing you need to do if you suspect you have a leak is to check your water meter. Doing this will give you a sense of whether you’re using more water than normal.

Turn off all the taps and faucets inside and outside your house. Find your water meter. If the indicator is moving you have a leak.

You can also take two readings. Space them an hour or two apart and don’t use any water during that time. If the meter has gone up then you have a leak somewhere.

2. Inside Leak

To know how to find a water leak inside your house you need to shut off the main water valve for the house. This valve is normally in the basement or your garage.

Repeat the check on the water meter. If it doesn’t change then the leak is inside the house.

3. Appliances and Fixtures Leaking

The most common water leaks inside your house come from faucets and appliances.

Faucet leaks are most often caused by rubber washers that have cracked or worn. These are easy to fix.

Toilet leaks are often slow and easy to miss. They’re usually caused by a faulty flapper or flush system, both of which are easy to replace.

Put food coloring in the tank. Wait half an hour without flushing the toilet. If there is colored water when you check in the bowl you have a leak.

4. Outside Leak

To find out if the leak is outside your home, the process is similar to the internal leak check. Turn the main valve off.

If the water meter is still moving or going up, the leak is outside your home.

5. Underground Leak

An underground leak is harder to find. Do the water meter reading exercise again. If you’ve done the inside and outside check but your meter is still moving, explore around your house.

Look for wet patches on the grass. Check the driveway or street to see if any water is flowing away from the house.

Alternatively, the leak may be visible as a puddle of water that remains for a long time. Wherever the leak is, with an underground leak you will need a professional to help you out.

Know How to Find a Water Leak

As you can see, learning how to find a water leak isn’t hard. With a few simple steps, you can check if you have a leak and you can find where it is.

Checking your water meter is the most important thing. Doing this will tell you if the water is still flowing somewhere. Once you know for sure if you have a leak, many of the fixes are easy to do yourself.

If you do need a professional plumber, we’ve got your back. Our plumbers are experts and get the job done quickly and carefully. If you think you have a leak and you need help, give us a call today.