A small water leak in your home such as a dripping faucet may not seem like much, but over time several small household water leaks can add up to a lot of water and money down the drain. According to the EPA, the average home wastes about 10,000 gallons of water per year due to water leaks.
By correcting water leaks in your home, you can conserve water and save big on your water bills. Most water leaks can be easily repaired by a good plumber. In some cases, you may be able to fix the leak yourself.
Common types of leaks include dripping faucets and leaky toilet flappers. More serious leaks include a leaky water supply line or a leaky lawn irrigation sprinkler system. Many small leaks can go unnoticed for years. One way to check for leaks in your home is to make sure all water using appliances are turned off (don’t forget the icemaker) and read your water meter.
Check the water meter again after a couple hours. If the reading has changed, you have a leak somewhere. Faucet, tub and shower leaks are easy to spot. Have your plumber repair the leaky faucet or replace it with a new low flow fixture for even more savings.
A few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank will tell you if your flapper valves are leaking. If the water in the bowl changes color, then your flapper valve needs to be replaced.
If your water meter still indicates a leak after repairing all of the indoor leaks, then the problem may be in your lawn irrigation system or your water supply line. Your plumber can isolate these systems, locate the leaks, and go over your leak repair options.
