If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t think about your water pipes until something goes wrong. But the reality is that leaks can be hard to detect. And if they aren’t discovered and fixed immediately, they can lead to major damage or even water damage in your home.
Fortunately, there are several ways to figure out if there’s a leak in your house. Here’s more:
If water is escaping from the faucets or toilets
One of the best practices is to check if water is escaping from the faucets or toilets.
- To check for water in a toilet, remove the lid and look at the water level. If it’s higher than usual, there could be a leak.
- Check for leaks under sinks by removing drain plugs and looking for small puddles on their bottoms; you can also add food colouring to see if any come out after 15 minutes or so.
If you have an older home with galvanized pipes that are prone to rusting through, this may be an easy way to find them before they cause major damage!
If you don’t have a water meter, then you can use this method as well. Check to see if your water bill has gone up over the past few months. If it has, then there’s a good chance that you’re losing water somewhere on your property and need to investigate further because they can alert you to the presence of moisture. If you’re not sure whether or not the detector is working properly, put some food colouring in a glass of water and place it on your countertop.
If there’s no visible change after 24 hours, then it’s probably safe to assume that there isn’t much moisture in your home. If you suspect the leak is coming from the pipes, turn off all faucets in your home and leave them turned off until you can get a plumber out. If you have a water meter, check it after an hour or so to see if this has reduced your consumption; if not, then there’s still an ongoing leak somewhere.
Look for damp spots on the ceiling
- Look for damp spots on the ceiling. If you see a damp spot, it could be a sign of a leak.
- Check the ceiling for water stains or discolouration in places where there are no windows or vents. Water stains are another good sign of a leak because they indicate that moisture has been present in an area for some time and may have caused damage to your home’s structure if left unchecked.* Don’t forget to check your basement! Leaks can happen anywhere; including behind toilets or under sinks where pipes run through insulation.
- Be careful when looking for water stains; sometimes they’re difficult to detect because they can blend into colour schemes and designs.
- Electronic detectors are also helpful tools when looking for leaks
Check your basement for seeping water
- Check your basement for signs of seeping water. Look for stains, mould, mildew and rust on the floor or walls of your basement.
- If you have a sump pump in place, make sure it’s functioning properly and not blocked by debris or other objects that could be preventing it from working properly.
- Check if there is any movement in your water meter. If so then you may leak somewhere on the property where water is being used but not accounted for due to a faulty meter or faulty pipes leading from said meter into other parts of the house/building etc.
Use an electronic leak detector to test walls, floors and ceilings for moisture
The best way to find a water leak is with an electronic leak detector. A good electronic leak detector can be used to test walls, floors and ceilings for moisture. This helps you determine where the leak is coming from so that you can solve it quickly and efficiently.
If you find any signs of water damage, you must contact a certified mould inspector. This is because mould can spread quickly and cause serious health problems such as respiratory issues and infections.
If you have a water leak, it’s important to find the source of these problems as soon as possible.
Here are some steps that will help:
- Check for standing water in your basement.
- Look around for signs of seeping water or mould growth near drains or pipelines. If there are visible signs of leakage, call a professional drainage professional immediately to check out this problem before it gets worse!
- Check pipes under sinks and faucets for leaks as well! You may find that these areas need repair work done sooner than later–and if not fixed now then when?
Use a small flashlight to detect cracks
- Use a flashlight to look for light leaking through cracks in walls and ceilings.
- You can also use a mirror to look behind walls.
- If you have a basement or even a crawl space, check it for water stains.
- If you have a garage or other outbuilding, check it for any signs of moisture on the flooring or walls inside compared with those on the outside of those structures (if they aren’t attached directly to your house).
Finding a water leak saves money and protects your property from damage
Water leaks can cause serious damage to your home and have lasting effects on the health of you and your family. If you suspect that there is a water leak in your house, it’s important to identify the source of these problems as soon as possible. Here are some steps that will help:
- Check for standing water in your basement. Look around for signs of seeping water or mould growth near drains or pipes. If there are visible signs of leakage, call a plumber immediately to check out this problem before it gets worse!
- Check pipes under sinks and faucets for leaks as well! You may find that these areas need repair work done sooner rather than later.
In a nutshell
The best way to find a water leak is by looking for damp spots on the ceiling. You can also use an electronic leak detector or a small flashlight to look for light leaking through cracks in walls and ceilings. If these methods don’t work, then try checking your basement for seeping water and check faucets and toilets as well!
Don’t wait for water leaks to wreak havoc! Contact Molesey Drainage Services today for professional leak detection and repair services. Safeguard your home and family from costly damage – schedule an inspection now!