How to Detect a Leak

If you feel like your water bill is too high, are having problems controlling your home’s humidity, or have noticed the tell tale signs of water damage, you may have a leak. Fortunately, the most common places to find leaks are from faucets and toilets which won’t cause damage. However, they’re still well worth pinpointing and repairing just to lower your water bill. Below you will find how to detect a water leak in different applications?

Toilet Leaks. Anywhere from a quarter to over a third of residential toilets are leaking to some degree. It can be hard to tell since they often do so silently, but we have a sneaky trick for just that. Go to your kitchen and find a bright red or green food colouring. Lift the porcelain lid on your toilet and add 3 – 5 drops of the food colouring to the tank (Not to the bowl). Next time you go to the washroom (try to wait at least half an hour), check if the bowl has any pigment. If it does, then your toilet is likely leaking. If the water is still clear, than the toilet should be fine.

Faucet Leaks. If your faucet drips .05 mL every second (or about one drop), in a year, just over 1500L of water or approximately 415 gallons leaks away. That’s a lot of water! There are different types of faucets and each will need a leak fixed a specific way. If you know what type of faucet you have and you’re familiar with basic plumbing, you should be able to fix a drippy faucet yourself. However, don’t shy away from calling in the expert Calgary plumbers at Plumbing Paramedics if you have a question or aren’t sure how to proceed.

Hidden Leaks. Other leaks are harder to find. Especially if you aren’t sure they’re even there. While it’d be nearly impossible for us to write a blog to help you find those leaks without having seen your property or heard about your circumstance, we do have a tip for figuring out if you have a leak in the first place. To do this, you’ll have to make sure absolutely no water is being used inside or outside the house for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Because of that, I always find it’s easier to check when everyone else is out of the house for the day. First, double check that all water usage is turned off — that means no laundry, dishwasher, or automatic irrigation systems. When you’re certain everything is shut off and won’t turn on until after you’re finished the test, go take a reading from your water metre. Wait at least 15 minutes and then check it again. The longer you wait the better your chances of catching a smaller leak, but 15 minutes should suffice for any larger leaks or a bunch of small ones.

Once you know how to detect a water leak and have confirmed you have a leak, it’s time to call the Plumbing Paramedics at (403) 452-2911.