What’s the worst thing to come home to after a long day at work?

How about a house full of water because a pipe burst? That’s certainly bad enough to ruin your week! While sometimes a sudden burst pipe will cause this damage, other times it can be avoided by keeping an eye out for small leaks before they get worse.

Here are a Sutherland Shire Plumber’s tips for how to find a water leak.

The Meter Test

The easiest way to determine if a leak exists is with the meter. Find your water meter and examine its face. There should be numbers or dials keeping track of how much water you use.

Be sure to shut off all faucets and appliances that use water but keep the water main on. Make a note of what the meter says or take a quick picture. After 10-15 minutes, compare what the meter says now. If there’s no leak, it should be exactly the same.

Note: tiny leaks may require a longer testing period, such as an hour.

Outdoor Leak Signs

Now that you’ve determined that a leak exists, it’s time to find it. Put on your detective cap and start snooping around your yard. Look for wet areas, soft spots, puddles, and even cracked pavement indicating soft earth underneath.

Indoor Leak Signs

Indoors, you need to keep an eye out for water stains on walls or ceilings, wet carpeting, peeling or bubbling paint, and other signs of moisture.

Mould begins to grow quickly in damp areas (within 24-48 hours). It gives off a musty smell that you might notice upon entering your home. Don’t forget to deal with this issue separately as it can cause health problems for your family to breathe mould spores.

Why Call a Plumber?

In some cases, you can easily handle a water leak on your own. It may just be a matter of tightening a loose fitting or replacing a pipe under the kitchen sink.

For more severe leaks you will need to call a plumber. Don’t mess around with DIY action or you could end up with even worse problems, like your home suffering water damage.

Also, if your meter tests indicate a leak and you can’t find one, don’t assume there isn’t one. Call a plumber to find out for sure. It will be far less expensive than waiting until there’s a big problem.

Water Leaks Be Gone

Water leaks can get expensive quickly and a leak in the wrong place can be devastating. Get in the habit of checking occasionally for these signs of water leaks both indoors and outdoors. You just might catch a small issue in time to prevent it from becoming a big one!