It happens rather slowly. Each month you see your water bill slowly start rising, and yet you know you are not using any more water than usual. You pay it and put the increase down to water just being more expensive. And then the next month comes and the water bill is that little bit higher. Soon the water bill is so exorbitant that you have no idea how you are going to make the payment.
Water leaks are troubling things and what is worse is that these leaks can go undetected for so long that you only find it once the damage is done. But luckily, it is not impossible to find a hidden leak, if you know what to look for.
The tips that we will be sharing in this blog can be used to prevent a leak from eating your budget.
If you suspect you have a leak and you are not sure how to find it, or if you find the leak and you can’t fix it, you should give Impala Plumbing and Electric a call. Our professional plumbers will come to wherever you are and give you a hand.
Finding your hidden leak
- Watch your water meter
This tip is a fool proof way to detect a leak. The first thing that you should do is turn off all of the water in your home. You should also make sure that your dishwasher and your washing machine are not running. Then you need to go outside and check your meter. Normally, if you have no leak, the meter should not be running at all. If it is running, you are likely to have a leak.
- Check the bill
When you have been receiving a water bill for a long enough time, you should have a clear indication of your regular water use. Should you start noticing a sudden increase in the usage as well as the amount you have to pay, and you have not been using more water than usual, then you can be sure that you have a leak.
- Check the exterior pipes
Often when looking for leaks, we tend to limit our search to the inside of our homes. And yet by doing this, we overlook the possibility of an outside leak. If you suspect an issue, you should walk around your home and check the pipes outside. You should also have a look at where there are wet patches on the ground.
- Look at the obvious places
Inside cupboards and under sinks, these are two places people tend to forget to look when trying to find a leak. Remember, leaks don’t have to be gushing water, it could be a slight drip that ends up costing you a fortune in the long run, while also destroying part of your home.
- Watch the toilet
A permanently running toilet is actually a leak that is going to cost you quite a bit. One way to check it is to just watch and listen for the running water, while the other method you can use is to place some food colouring in the bowl and see how quickly it disappears. If it vanishes fast (without flushing of course), then your toilet is likely to be leaking.
