Preventing Leaks

Among the places to look for water leaks are:

Inside the Home:

Bathroom & toilet area – Water is leaking in your toilet when: Water is moving from the tank to the bowl when nobody is flushing it (often a “running” sound); Your toilet is flushing itself when nobody is near the toilet.
• Place a few drops of food color into the tank. Wait a few minutes. If you see the color in the bowl, you have a leak.

While in the bathroom, check the showerhead and faucets for leaks as well. Overall, ninety percent (90%) of residential leaks are found in the bathroom area!

Kitchen – Faucets, Dishwasher
Laundry room – Faucets, Clothes Washer

Hot Water Heater
Check any exposed pipes for leaks.

Outside:

Walk around the house and yard to see if there is a very green spot or any wet spots during a dry period.

Check your sprinkler system. Broken heads only leak when the system is operating. Usually a broken head does not add very many gallons to the water usage, unless the sprinkler system is on. A broken pipe on the other hand, can leak when the system is on or off and will add many more gallons to the usage.

Swimming pools with automatic filters should be checked.

How to know if you have a leak:

Visual inspection as noted above will work for those areas that can be seen.

Checking your water meter before bed and when you get up – before anyone runs water – will tell you whether there is a leak somewhere in the house.

Water leaks only worsen through time; it would be wise for you to deal with it as early as possible. Early detection and repair will save you money and prevent damage to your house.

REMEMBER: WATER LEAKS ARE COSTLY! A “typical” toilet leak can add hundreds of dollars to a single water bill.