Locating, Identifying and Preventing Leaks, Part 1

No one wants to look at a high water bill each month, and one of the most annoying contributors to this in homes and buildings around the country is plumbing leaks. There are several areas of home plumbing that are susceptible to leaking for various reasons, including some that are tougher to identify in some situations.

At Expert Services- Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we can assist you if you’re worried this is the case. Our plumbing services include a full range of offerings for your various plumbing fixtures, from basic areas like showerheads and kitchen sinks to vital components like garbage disposals and water softeners. In part one of this two-part blog on plumbing leaks, here are some of the primary areas that might leak, how this will happen, and how you can tell these leaks apart from other types.

Toilet Issues

There a couple toilet leak issues that can take place:

• Overflow leaks: In some cases, water in the toilet tank will leak into the top of the overflow pipe. If this is the case, it likely means the ballcock valve needs to be adjusted, which our pros can help with. To find out if this is the right leak, shake some baby powder into your toilet tank walls – if the powder moves to the center, it’s a sign that water is moving and the overflow is leaking. In some cases, you’ll be able to stop this leak by just adjusting the screw on top of the float arm.
• Leaking flappers: In other cases, the flapper – the large rubber plug at the bottom of the bowl – could be leaking. A common sign of this is a dripping noise coming from the toilet. To know for sure, drop some food coloring into the tank, then wait 30 minutes. If you see colored water in the toilet bowl itself after this time, it’s clear the flapper is leaking and allowing water in.

Sinks

Faucets dripping may not seem like a big deal, but they create major water losses over time. They’re usually due to washers that have either worn down or don’t fit properly.

Outdoor Bibs and Faucets

Particularly in fall and winter when temperatures drop, bibs and faucets outdoors may start to fail. Do your best to check for leaks around them, and ensure all automatic sprinklers are turned off at the proper times.

Ice Machine

A malfunctioning ice maker may continuously attempt to draw too much water as it attempts to do its job, causing leaks.

Hot Water Tank

Usually in the basement, hot water tanks deal with a significant amount of pressure and high water quantities. Check around them for any dripping water or condensation, which might showcase an issue with the pressure valve that will require either repair or replacement.

For more on the sources of leaks in your plumbing, or to learn about any of our plumbing services, speak to the pros at Expert Services- Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.