Plumbing leaks can cause a lot of problems for your home, such as water damage, mold growth, and higher water bills. To make matters worse, you can’t always tell when you have a leak until the damage has already been done. If you suspect that you have a plumbing leak, it’s always best to contact a plumbing professional to find it and take care of it sooner rather than later. However, there are things that you can do to spot hidden water leaks in your home.

1. Check Your Water Meter

One easy way to know if you have a water leak is to turn off all the faucets in your home and check your water meter. If your water meter is still moving even when your faucets aren’t running, you have a fast-moving leak. If you suspect a slow leak, keep your faucets turned off for a couple of hours and check your water meter periodically. If the meter readings have changed, you have a slow leak. This won’t tell you where the leak is in your home, but confirming that you have a leak is still a great place to start your search.

2. Check Your Water Bill

Your water bill can fluctuate slightly throughout the year, but it should largely remain consistent. If it’s been higher than usual and keeps increasing, a leak may be to blame.

3. Check Your Toilet Tank for Leaks

Your toilet is especially vulnerable to hidden leaks, mostly from water leaking from the tank into the bowl even when it’s not being used. If you think your toilet tank is leaking, add a few drops of food coloring to the tank. If you check later on and find food coloring in the bowl even when your toilet hasn’t been flushed, you have a leak. For best results, add the food coloring at night before bed and check the bowl in the morning. If there is a slow leak, the food coloring will have plenty of time to move into the bowl.

4. Check Your Ceiling Underneath Plumbing Fixtures

If you have a bathroom on the upper floor of your house, go to the floor below and check the ceiling directly underneath it. If you have a leak in your toilet, shower, or bathroom sink, you might see brown water spots in the ceiling. These dark or wet spots generally form near whatever pipe or plumbing fixture is leaking, so you should be able to spot the source of the leak easily this way. This also applies to finding leaks in your kitchen. Go to your basement, check the ceiling under the kitchen sink or whatever might be leaking, and check for dark spots in the ceiling.

5. Check Hidden Pipes

A lot of your plumbing is hidden behind walls, which is why so many leaks go undetected. If your water meter test determines that you have a leak that you can’t find anywhere, check the walls and floors where you know some of your plumbing is located. If there is a leak, you might see rotting wood, mold, or dark water stains on your walls. You obviously won’t be able to fix these hidden leaks yourself, so contact a plumber to take care of the problem before it causes too much damage to your house. You can also look out for extra-lush patches of grass in your yard, which could be from a sewer leak under the surface. In this case, the waste is fertilizing that section of your yard, indicating you need sewer line repair.

6. Listen for Running Water

If you have a fast leak in your home, you might be able to hear it if you listen carefully. Go to where you suspect the leak is and listen for sounds that indicate running or dripping water. Even if the leak is behind a wall, you might be able to hear it. Make a note of where you think it is and contact an expert local plumber for professional assistance.

7. Check Your Yard

While you might think most plumbing leaks happen inside your house, you do have pipes underground on your property that can leak as well. This is often the case if you have an old sewer line that is falling apart or tree roots that are invading a pipeline. Leaks like this are obviously hard to spot, but you can get a good idea of where they are by looking for patches of grass that are greener than the rest of your lawn. These patches might also feel wet and spongy even when there hasn’t been any rain. You might also notice a foul smell in these areas if the leak is in your sewer line.

8. Check Your Appliances

Large appliances such as water heaters and washing machines that use water are vulnerable to leaks. If you suspect that any of your appliances are leaking, check the tubing that connects them to your main water line. That is almost certainly where a leak will be. You can also check the pressure relief valve on your water heater. Older valves tend to leak and need to be replaced occasionally. You will likely know that this is the case if you see any standing water around your water heater. Of course, it’s also possible that the water heater tank itself could spring a leak, so keep an eye out for that.

9. Inspect Your Home Regularly

Hidden plumbing leaks are hard to find by their very nature, but you can sometimes spot them before they get out of hand if you check for them regularly. Check cabinets under sinks for standing water or foul smells that could indicate leaks, examine any exposed plumbing in your basement or crawlspace, and look for any suspicious dark spots on your walls, floors, and ceiling. Sometimes, all it takes is a basic walkthrough of problem areas in your home to find a leak, but you should also schedule regular inspections with a plumber. A plumber is far better equipped than you are to find hidden leaks, and regular inspections could uncover small leaks that can be fixed before they cause too much damage. Most homes should schedule at least one plumbing inspection every two years, although you may need annual inspections if your home is older. Any plumbing system older than 25 years could reach the end of its lifespan, so keep that in mind when scheduling inspections.

Call John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical for Your Plumbing Needs

Whether you suspect that you have a leak in your home or have other plumbing problems that need to be addressed, John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical is there for you. We are a plumbing, HVAC, and electrical company that has served Omaha and Lincoln, NE, since 1996, and we have become known for our excellent customer service and expertise during that time. Our team of plumbing professionals is available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you suspect that you have a plumbing leak in your home. We also provide excellent heating, cooling, and electrical services, all at affordable rates.

To learn more about the many services we offer or if you suspect a leak in your home, contact John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical in Lincoln or Omaha today.

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