Sometimes we have random water leaks that pop up in our house near the faucets, sinks, showers, etc. It can be tricky in finding exactly where these leaks come from since there are a lot of pipes and places water flows through. Sometimes we find out we have a leak when we get a water bill and it’s higher than usual. Either way, here are some tips to finding out if you have a water leak and where it might be coming from.
First, to determine that you have a water leak at all, you will need to go to your water meter which is somewhere in your front or back yard. Make sure that no one is using the water in the house as you start this process. Remove the cover of the meter, and check to see if either dial is moving. Most of the time, the more modern meters have a large dial that measures a larger quantity and a smaller dial that measures a small quantity. Check to see if either one of these is moving – the faster it’s moving, the more water that’s being used. If the meter dials are moving and no water is being used in the house, this is when we need to determine the location of the water leak.
Locate your main shutoff. This could either be in your basement, in the house itself, or in your crawlspace. Turn this off and then check the dials again to see if they’re moving. If the dial doesn’t stop then unfortunately, the leak is from the dial back to the meter. This means that the leak is most likely underground and will have to be dug up and repaired by a professional. If the dial does stop, then the leak will either be under the house or inside the house. This will begin a process of elimination.
First, check all the piping under the house to see if there is any visual leaking. Then, check any faucet in the house or outside of the house for visual leaking. Check all toilets to make sure the fill valve isn’t continuously running after the tank has finished filling. These are all the places where leaks would be occurring.
If you are unable to locate your leak, seek professional help.