Find hidden water leaks and save yourself money by averting a potential disaster with these 7 proven hacks! Our Water Utility Specialists share their expertise to help you identify hidden water leaks early.
- Check your water meter
- Assess your water usage
- Monitor your water bill
- Look for paint bubbles
- Use food colouring
- Check your tiles
- Call a Professional
Check Your Water Meter
Checking the water meter is one of the greatest ways to determine if you have a leak in a particular area of your plumbing. You must first turn off all of the water in your house in order to achieve this.
Make sure the dishwasher and washing machine are not running, and turn off all of the taps.
Then, keep an eye on the meter to see if it starts to shift. If it does, you probably have a leak that moves quickly.
Wait two hours before checking the meter again if it doesn’t change right away.
Even though all of the water is turned off, if something has changed, you can have a slower leak. Anywhere after the meter, or even underground, could have a leak.
Keep in mind that all piping following the meter is the responsibility of the homeowner.
Assess Your Water Usage
According to a recent report published by Water Utility Solutions, The average South African consumes 237 litres of water a day. With this in mind, you should be able to calculate your average consumption for your home per month and cross reference how much water you are actually using. If the number is higher you might have a leak.
Monitor Your Water Bill
If your water usage hasn’t changed but your bill keeps going up, there may be a leak. Gather some recent bills and compare them to see if there has been an increase consistently.
The range of your water bill ought to be consistent from month to month.
Consider the possibility that some of your pipes are underground. Leaks in this area of your system might go undetected, but you will still be responsible for paying for them.
It is essential to have a licensed plumber thoroughly inspect all of the pipes.
A warm patch on the floor (with plumbing under the slab) or the sound of running water requires immediate, qualified care.
Look For Paint Bubbles
When paint starts to lift or ‘bubble’ on the surface of walls and ceilings you most definitely have water damage.
The extent of the damage will be hard to know for sure, but the best thing to do would be to get in touch with a specialist immediately. Don’t just paint over it! You could have a leak!
Find Hidden Water Leaks With Food Colouring
Up to 30% of your water consumption can be attributed to your toilets, therefore you should make sure they are functioning properly. Add a few drops of food colouring to your toilet tank, then wait 10 minutes to check for leaks. If the colour appears in your bowl, you have a leak that is allowing water to seep from your tank without ever flushing the bowl.
Find Hidden Water Leaks Under Your Tiles
If you discover that the tile is starting to ‘lift’ from the floor or wall, you may have water damage under your tiles. Your tiles will frequently become unsteady or loose due to water.
Water-damaged tiles may produce a hollow sound. If you think there is a leak, try tapping your tiles with a golf ball or another object.
Call a Professional to Find Hidden Water Leaks
As soon as you notice a leak in your plumbing system, have a professional make the necessary repairs. Don’t wait until the situation worsens and you have a huge problem on your hands!
