Leaking Faucets
Detecting if there’s a leak in your home. The best way to begin looking for a leak would be to look at your water fixtures and appliances. By checking to see if you have leaks within the house could prevent for having a higher water bill and save you some money in the future. Here are some steps you can take for looking for leaks with in your home. Toilets are the most common leak inside a home. To check to see if it is you toilet leaking you can drop a detect-a-leak toilet tablet into the tank of your toilet. It you see the dye from the tablet in the bowl of the toilet that means you have a leak. These tablets can be purchased at Home Depot or Wal-Mart.
The tub/shower is a source of leaks. The connection to the bottom of the tub/shower can separate, allowing water to leak outside the drain body and into flooring. To check to see if you have a leak fill the tub to a small puddle and plug the drain. If the small puddle shrinks then it may be time to replace a gasket, re-caulk, or install a whole new drain.
A leak from a faucet could be one of the easiest to detect if you have a leak. The fix usually only needs a replacement part or a new o-ring to be replaced. These repairs are often easy enough do you on your own.
Looking at the sinks, they could have a problem with leaking around the rim. Leaks around the sinks can be detected by checking for puddles or stains around the sink and cabinet area. Any loose countertops material or deteriorated caulk around the sink are telltale signs of these kinds of leaks. To see if the sink is tightly sealed, use a sponge to squeeze out a noticeable amount of water around the sink’s rim and the base of the faucet. Check inside the cabinet and underneath the sink for any seepage after a few minutes. If you do discover any leaks, re-caulking around the rim or tightening of the sink’s under mount clips.
To check for leaks in the sink’s plumbing, dab a dry tissue or paper towel all around the hot and cold water supply line stops and hoses. After that, fill the sink up with some water and then remove the stopper; grab another dry tissue and wipe down the length of the waste piping as it drains. Leaks of this nature will usually require replacement of stops, fittings, or supply lines.
By using the steps mentioned and noticing any leaks early on can also prevent you from having to replace any water damage that could occur from leaky faucets and could save you from having a high water bill and having to pay for remodeling in the home.
Researched by: Priscilla Arthur