Checking Water Leaks in Your Home
Checking water leaks and possible damage to your property at least once a month or in case of a suspected leak is critical.
For a typical Fresno home that uses 34,000 liters of water per month, a faucet dripping can cost over $ 12 per month.
If this leak worsens to a trickling, steady stream, the cost per month in wasted water can range from $ 50 to $ 100.
Do you have a worn or broken flap that keeps your toilet running? You should be expecting to spend nothing less than $50-$100.
Checking for water leaks can reduce your costs if diagnosed and repaired quickly.
Wastewater costs for a small constant hot water flow of only one-quarter of a liter per minute can cost over $ 200 per month.
Keep delaying the repair and you will waste $ 2,400 in one year.
How to discover a leak in your home
If you are worried that the water bill is greater than normal, you may want to perform a leak test. To detect the leak, just follow these steps;
STEP 1.
First, switch off all water-bearing devices so that no water is used.
This means that all water at the home, including washing machines, ice makers, showers, sinks and other appliances must be shut off.
Make sure to turn off the controller of an automatic irrigation system if you should have one in your house.
STEP 2.
Search for your meter box now. It is usually located near the sidewalk in front of your home.
Carefully remove the cover of the meter case with a tool such as a large screwdriver.
Most meters use a straightforward dial, which is similar to the odometer of a car.
The meter measures water consumption in thousands of gallons.
The small hand or small dial in the center of the meter is the flow indicator.
This should be still if you are not using water inside or outside the house.
checking water leaks is the main function of this indicator and if it’s moving, you may have a leak.
STEP 3.
If there is no indicator and the actual pointer of the meter is moving, water is dripping somewhere in your plumbing system which means you have a leak.
If the hand does not move, note the position of the hand and wait 10 minutes.
Make sure you check the meter again. If the dial moved then there must be a slow leak somewhere.
If no movement is recorded, you probably do not have a leak.
Note, however, that the meter usually does not detect leaks in pools or irrigation systems.
STEP 4.
To contain the leak, shut down the water to your house. The valve for your home is usually located near the front of the house.
When all the water in the house is turned off, do not allow the meter’s small hand or dials to move.
Checking water leaks in your pipes
Checking water leaks at your faucets and exposed piping on a regular basis – visually and audibly inspect these areas.
Even when you can’t see or hear a leak, close all of the water fixtures (faucets and showers,etc) and check your water meter as well.
Checking water leaks in your toilets
Pay special attention to your toilet installation, where leaks are often difficult to detect.
A quick check is to put a food coloring into the tank after it’s filled and monitor its appearance in the bowl.
If a leak occurs, the color will appear in about 15 minutes. Even if leaks are not detected, testing should be repeated.
The BWS (Board of Water Supply) will provide dye tablets for toilet leak detection by contacting the communications office.
Checking water leaks in your faucets
The most common cause of water wastage is the leaky faucet.
Since a dripping tap apparently emits very small amounts of water, this problem is often neglected.
A 1/32 inch consumes 25 gallons in 24 hours and a 1/8″ stream wastes 400 gallons over a 24-hours.
You should be checking water leaks at the faucets aerator, at the base, and all other connections.
If a faucet leak is found, it may be time to replace a worn-out washer, even if it is a small the leak.
This is something homeowners can fix themselves. Replacing an o-ring likem can result in water waste.
Checking water leaks in your yard
Automatic sprinkler systems make watering the lawn easy. However, these time-saving devices are also susceptible to leaks!
Leaks in the irrigation system are not always noticeable.
It is therefore important to check the sprinkler timer, ports, and heads for signs of leaks.
Wet or noticeably greener grass near a water sprinkler may indicate a sprinkler in need of repair.
An irrigation system that is properly maintained will help your garden stay healthy and conserve water.
When you’re away
If you plan to leave your home for a vacation – it may be a good idea to shut off the water valve.
This is so that a serious leak during your absence will not lead to water damage or a large water bill.
The main house valve is normally located in your property, within 20 feet from the water meter.
If a device or pipe is damaged, you should first shut off the supply of this valve.
It is very important that the shut-off valve is free and easily accessible and in perfect condition at all times.
Check your grass for wet spots where the lawn appears greener compared to the other parts.
Checking water leaks in this manner could indicate that a pipe is leaking underground.
Leaks will gradually become larger if no repairs are made.
Call a plumber as soon as possible for a water line repair.