Plumbing
Plumbing services in Lenexa, KS

Plumbing leaks can damage a home severely in very little time. They’re even worse when they occur in parts of your home you can’t see. A slowly dripping pipe inside a wall or ceiling can lead to mold growth and severe structural damage. As a homeowner, it’s incumbent upon you to learn to spot the signs of stealthy leaks in your home. Here are seven ways you can do it.

1. Pay Attention to Your Water Bill

Your first warning of a leak could be the arrival of an unusually high water bill. If you receive a bill that departs from the norm, consider whether your usage habits recently changed. If not, you may have a hidden leak in your home. You should check all your faucets and toilets to ensure there’s no dripping or constant running. Then, look at your home’s exposed piping to check for any evidence of leaks. You may find a damp wall or ceiling you haven’t spotted yet.

2. Check Your Water Meter

If your home’s water meter display is somewhere you can see, you can use it to identify a hidden leak. Turn off your home’s faucets, fixtures, and water-dependent appliances to do it. Then, make a note of the reading on your water meter. Even a tiny leak in a pipe can result in a gallon of wasted water in just a few hours. If you see your water meter advancing after you’ve shut everything off, you likely have a leak somewhere.

You can further narrow down your leak’s location using your home’s branch line valves. Just turn them off individually, checking your water meter as you do. As soon as the meter stops advancing, you know you’ve shut off the problematic branch. That information can help a plumber zero in on your problem and solve it fast.

3. Look for Water Pressure Drops

If any of your home’s water supply lines leak, it may cause a noticeable pressure drop. Usually, when a leak gets bad enough to produce a pressure drop, it causes visible damage, too. However, if the leak happens in a place where the water can drain, you might not see any immediate damage. For example, if your home sits on a slab, a leak might develop in a pipe beneath it. Then, the water must saturate the ground under your house before going elsewhere. By the time you saw apparent evidence of a problem, your home could’ve suffered grievous damage.

If you have the foresight, you can purchase a pressure gauge to test your normal water pressure. Most can attach to a hose bib or a cold-water outlet that serves a washing machine. Simply screw on the gauge and turn off your home’s other faucets and fixtures. You can then take a baseline pressure reading by opening the hose bib or outlet feeding your gauge. Then, when you suspect a leak, you’ll have a reading to test against.

4. Use Food Coloring to Test Toilets

One of the most challenging types of leaks to spot is a leaky toilet. A small toilet leak may make no noise and produce no visual cues to alert you. One of the ways to test for such leaks is by using food coloring. Just add a few drops to the toilet tank you want to test. Then, refrain from flushing it for at least a day. You have a leak if you find coloring in the toilet bowl the following day. Two common issues can cause such leaks. One is a toilet fill valve that doesn’t entirely shut off. However, that’s a problem you usually hear or see once you open your tank’s lid. The other cause is a leaky flush valve seal. It’s the flapper at the bottom of the tank that stops water flowing into the bowl. If it gets dirty or fails, it will let a constant trickle of water into the bowl.

5. Inspect Your Water Heater

If your home has a storage-tank water heater, it should be one of the first places you check for leaks. Such heaters operate under pressure and may develop leaks over time. Pay extra attention to the water inlet and outlet, typically on the top of the tank. They have seals that could fail, allowing water to escape. You should also check your water heater drain valve near the unit’s bottom.

Check its pressure relief valve if you find water pooling around your water heater with no obvious leak. It’s on the top or side of the tank. The valve’s purpose is to open if the tank experiences abnormally high internal pressure. It can cause an intermittent leak and water pooling around the tank. Contact a plumber to investigate if you suspect a leaky pressure relief valve. Your water heater could be on the verge of a severe and dangerous failure.

6. Check for Excess Humidity and Mold

A constant water leak will also raise your home’s humidity levels. So, monitoring your indoor humidity is an excellent way to detect hidden leaks. Install a hygrometer in your home and check it daily. It’s normal for indoor humidity to fluctuate even when you keep your AC running. However, suspect a leak if it’s persistently higher than the outdoor humidity and never seems to drop.

You can also look for mold in unusual places or accelerated mold growth in your home. Mold likes dark, humid areas. If you see any growing in a location that shouldn’t be damp, a leak may be nearby. Also, if you spot any places where mold grows faster than elsewhere, a leak could be why.

7. Schedule Regular Plumbing Inspections

Finally, the best way to identify hidden pipe leaks is to leave the job to a professional. It would be best to have your home’s plumbing professionally inspected biennially. A plumber has the tools, experience, and knowledge to spot leaks you may miss when you look for yourself. For example, they may use sensitive audio equipment to listen for running water. Or, they may use thermal imaging cameras to spot the tell-tale temperature differentials leaks often cause. Regular inspection is even more critical if your home’s plumbing is over 25 years old. That’s the age when wear and tear begins catching up to most residential plumbing systems.

Your Trusted Plumbing Partner

Having a trusted plumber that you can call when you suspect a leak is essential. If you’re a homeowner in Lenexa, KS, MVP Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric is the name to know. We’ve served local residents for over 18 years. Our team of expert plumbers can handle plumbing jobs of all sizes. From finding and fixing minor leaks to excavations, sewer line repairs and replacement, and water heaters, we’re your best bet. Plus, we also offer comprehensive HVAC and electrical services. We’ve been a Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave for three years running. And we’re open 24/7 and provide emergency services when you need them. For leak detection services in Lenexa, contact MVP Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing & Electric today!

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