How to Spot Hidden Plumbing Leaks in Your Home

Concealed pipe leaks can be detected by noticing a few telling signs. Start by keeping a close eye on your water bill. An unexplained surge in the amount owed could mean a hidden leak is afoot. Listen closely. When all faucets are off, do you hear the sound of water running? That, friend, is a suggestive clue that we might have a leak in the plumbing either in the walls or the floors. Look hard! Check your ceilings, walls, and floors for water stains or discoloration. Leaking water can travel a good distance, and it might look like it's coming out of a pipe in the wall instead of behind a picture frame. Then look for mold. No, not that fuzzy stuff growing on old bread in your awesome refrigerator. I mean, has anything started to mildew in a place where mildew shouldn't be? That's a sign that leaks are drenching the insides of your house somewhere. Listen up! Like I said, reduced water pressure can be another indicator. Of course, it can be tough to tell if water pressure is down when you're in the midst of washing your hair. But if a lack of momentum seems to be hitting your stream and you're not groovin' to the rhythm of the shampoo, then something's up. Use your water meter to test for sure.

If you can't see a leak, monitor your water bill for signs of one. Unexplained increases can mean you have a hidden leak. Check your water meter. Make a note of the reading, and then don't use any water for a few hours. (This is a good time to go for a run, see a movie, or just to take a few hours to do nothing around the house.) After your time without water, check the meter again. If the reading has changed, you have a leak. Listen to the sound of your plumbing when no one is using it. Check for signs of undetected water. Look for water stains, mold, or mildew around the house. See if your sense of smell can detect musty odors, which might indicate a leak. Investigate areas that are likely to have a leak. Spend time around places where pipes, or lots of wet stuff, are in close proximity to your living space. They're more likely to be the source of a hidden leak. Also consider testing your toilet. If your plumbing can't handle hundreds of gallons of water a day without you noticing, your test can't either. There's no way the colors can go up, down, or sideways in a way that doesn't mean your toilet is leaking.

To determine the source of a leak, begin by investigating common trouble spots such as: - Areas under sinks - Around toilets - Behind appliances - Near water heaters Inspect these areas for visible evidence that something is amiss and pay special attention to places where you wouldn't normally expect to find water. Evidence of the kind you'd expect from a leaky roof might simply suggest that your roof is leaking, but it could also mean that plumbing problems are causing water to travel along unusual paths. And any signs that suggest there's plumbing in trouble should send you scurrying for the phone to call a plumber.

To locate a quiet water leak, begin by keeping a close watch on your water bill for any mysterious jumps in price. Perform a test with your water meter by first shutting off every water fixture in your home and then checking the water meter; if it continues to run, you very likely have a leak somewhere. Next, inspect your abode for any signs of hidden water leaks, such as walls, ceilings, or floors that look or feel even slightly damp, or any that you can even slightly see or feel are discolored. Look for any straight-up weird growths of mold or mildew, or any smells that remind you of mildew, mustiness, or stagnation, which often mean there's a leak somewhere in the vicinity. Check under your sinks, around any toilets you may have, and behind your appliances for any signs of water that seem like they shouldn't be accumulating. If you're having any kind of luck hearing the sound of the water that's accumulating when all your fixtures are supposed to be off, consider yourself a winner.

Start by looking for visible signs of a water leak in the wall, such as discoloration, peeling paint or wallpaper, and any damp, moldy patches on the wall surface itself. Listen closely for any signs of dripping or hissing that might indicate a more serious leak inside the wall. Check your water meter. Read it, then avoid any water usage for a few hours. Come back and read it again. Has the number changed? That change is likely you leaking. Next, try an infrared camera. Is there anything that looks different from the way other walls look, in terms of how they would hold heat? If your wall is hotter or cooler than other walls (not considering the other walls' visible signs of leaks), it could be too moist or too dry in there. Then there's the moisture meter. If you've got one, use it. If not, hire a guy who does, and have him use it.

Listening to water that runs without visible leaks can mean there is a hidden plumbing problem. Leaking pipes within the walls or ceilings may be the issue but are hard to detect without special equipment. Might as well check the toilet, though, to ensure it's not the one with the problem. The fill valve can be the culprit if the sound is similar to that of a constantly running toilet. If walls and ceilings aren't hiding the problem, it may be a cracked or corroded pipe under the floor or in the wall. And even if the plumbing directly visible to the homeowner looks okay, it's a good idea to check the water heater, supply lines, and any other likely suspects. A certified plumber should be able to easily find the source of the problem and get it fixed.

Indeed, several tools can assist in locating concealed plumbing leaks in residences. One effective device is a water leak detector or sensor. These instruments are positioned near areas where water is plumbed and can hear a leak so that they sound an alarm or send a notification to your device when the leak is loud enough to be heard or when the water is dripping enough to be detected. Some devices even have a microphone that can detect the sound of dripping water. Another useful tool for finding hidden leaks is the infrared camera. Do you need more?

Water leak coverage depends on the specifics of your home insurance policy. Standard home insurance policies usually cover sudden and accidental water damage. This means that if a pipe bursts and sends water gushing everywhere, you're likely covered. But what if a pipe slowly and gently oozes water for months before you notice? Most home insurance policies won't cover the damage done by that kind of leak. Or what about a basement that's not really finished, a space that's gone unmaintained, where water seeps up through cracks in the foundation? Most home insurance policies figure that if you really let something go, you're probably not allowed to file a claim. If you want to know for sure, read your policy, or call your insurance agent.

Plumbers can indeed find leaks in walls, and they do this with the help of tools and techniques that are somewhat specialized. These include thermal imaging cameras, which can show the plumber where in a wall a leak might be located, and the plumbing equivalent of a stethoscope, an acoustic listening device, with which the plumber can actually hear the sound of water leaking behind the wall. Moisture meters are also useful for locating wall leaks.

Begin by taking a good look at your water meter. Make certain that all the appliances that use water are turned off and then take note of the reading on the meter. After waiting a full hour, take another look at the meter. If the reading has changed, you probably have a leak. Look closely at your water invoice for increases in water use that you cannot account for. Pay attention to strange noises. Unusual sounds, such as the sound of water running when no taps are open, or the sound of water dripping, should be investigated. Look for indications of moisture or mold, as these can signal an undercover leak. Employ your olfactory ability to notice any uncommon, mildewy smells. Check for leaks where they are most likely, like under sinks, around toilets, or near appliances. Think about utilizing food dye in the tanks of toilets to determine whether or not the color shows up in the bowl without activating the flush, which would mean there is a leak. When all other methods have not been successful, seek the expertise of a professional plumber for advanced diagnostic work. This may include state-of-the-art inspections with thermal imaging or an infrared camera.