How to Tell If You’ve Got a Leak Inside or Outside Your Home

Although some plumbing leaks are obvious, hidden leaks are often hard to detect and can cause extensive damage if they are not resolved early enough.

Let’s look at how to tell if you have a leak inside or outside your home.

Signs of A Possible Main Water Line Leak in Your Home

Water stains on ceilings
Higher than usual water bills
Foundation cracks
Wet spots on the lawn when there has been no rain
The sound of running water
Overgrowth in the lawn

Here are Some of the Easy Ways to Find Hidden Water Leaks in Your Home

Monitor your water meter

Your home’s water meter can give you an idea if you’ve got a leak inside or outside your home. Simply shut off all the water in the house and ensure no toilets or appliances are running. Watch the water meter to see if it changes. If it begins to change, you may have a leak in your home.

Perform a visual inspection

Although water leaks occurring beneath your home’s foundation and inside the walls can be difficult to notice, you can tell if there’s a leak somewhere in plumbing with a simple visual inspection.

Scan your walls and ceilings for water spots. Water rings on the walls and ceiling are usually a sign of a leak in the waterline.

Water leaks are often accompanied by mold growth or mildew, so be on the lookout for mold and mildew presence in your home. If you notice a damp, musty odor in your house, you might have a leak somewhere in your plumbing.

Perform the toilet dye test

The toilet is one of the most frequently used plumbing fixtures in a home, so it’s not unusual for your toilet to start leaking. If your toilet runs when not in use, it’s likely the result of a worn out flapper.

A quick way to check if you have a leak in your toilet is to perform a dye test. To perform this test, remove your tank lid and add a few drops of food coloring into the tank. Wait approximately 30 minutes and see if the color shows up in the toilet bowl. If the water in the bowl is colored, then you have a leak.

How to Prevent Water Leaks Inside and Outside Your Home

Check your water pressure to ensure it’s not too high as it can put a strain on your water pipes, resulting in leaks.
Insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing during cold weather
Inspect your appliances regularly and fix any issues to avoid appliance leaks. These include washing machines, refrigerator, water heater, AC unit, and ice maker.
Install leak detectors in places like the basement, attic, near the AC unit, laundry room, bathroom under the kitchen sink, and near water pipes.
Have your plumbing system inspected regularly.

A water leak should be fixed as soon as it’s identified to prevent water damage in your home, costly water bills, and water contamination. If you’re in need of leak detection and leak repair in your home, get in touch with Leak Detection of Atlanta.