How to check your home for water leaks

While social distancing has us spending more time in our homes, it allows us homeowners to work on home maintenance and address those pesky problems we either don’t have time to address or simply overlook with the hustle and bustle of our normally busy lives.

Did you know that a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year? That’s the amount of water needed to take more than 180 showers!

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Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills. Here are a few easy ways to check for leaks in your home:

Water Meter

• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak. (water meter)

Bathroom

• Check shower head and bathtub faucet for drips
• Toilet – is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 10 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. (toilet)Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank

Kitchen

• Sink -Open the cabinet beneath the sink and watch for it to dribble out from unseen cracks or holes.
• Dishwasher- run a paper towel underneath and check for water on paper towel
• Cabinets- Make a practice of regularly checking in the back of cabinets and under basins for any signs of mold or foul smells that might indicate a lea

Outside Spigots

• Assess the condition of any water accessories you have in your garden. his includes things like hoses, taps, fountains, water ornaments, and irrigation systems, such as sprinklers.
• A good way to catch leaks that aren’t steadily flowing is to note when a fixture or the surrounding terrain appears to be wet despite a lack of recent rainfall.

If you discover a leak or stopped drain in your home call your certified plumbing professionals at Aux Home Services.