How Can You Tell Where a Water Leak is Coming From?

Water leaks can be a huge issue especially when it starts to hamper one’s day to day routine and one cannot figure out where the leak is coming from to be able to tackle the issue. Once it can be ascertained where the leak is coming from it becomes easier to handle the issue with some form of plumbing. There may be instances where the repairing of the leak might require emergency plumbing, in such a case one should want to visit this site that provides plumbing facilities to get the required help and assistance.

Below is a list of certain methods that can be used to ascertain where a particular water leak might be coming from which can then help in determining the amount of damage done to the property as well as how much it would cost to repair the plumbing.

1.  Look for signs on the wall

When any kind of waterlogging takes place in the wall and it becomes excessive then it also reflects on the wall and may detroriate its condition. A wall in which water has been leaked through looks wet, patchy and of a darker shade. Discoloration of the wall that leads it to become yellowish or brownish is also a sign of leak in that area as those may be water stains.

Besides this, there is another way to know if the water leak is coming through the walls. This is when the paint of the wall might start to chip off or the wall might become damp and the wallpaper applied on to it might come off.

So if such kinds of signs are visible on the wall then one can safely assume that there has been some kind of leak that has percolated through the walls and might need immediate attention to reduce more damage to the wall and the whole structure of the building.

2.  Look at the ground outside the home

It is not necessary for all kinds of water leaks to occur only inside the homes. There may be times when the water might be leaking from an underground pipe surrounding the areas of the home. Such a leak can be determined if there is a garden or a yard outside the home.

To know whether a leak is occurring at a particular place, one can look at the overall grass growing in the garden. If one sees a patch of grass that is much greener or longer than the others then that can be a reason to suspect that the leak is happening from there and hence the grass in that area is getting more water and hence more growth. Although this cannot be said with certainty,  it can help in determining a spot that can then be checked by a professional plumber for any underground pipe leaks.

Another way to determine any kind of water leak in a garden is to see if there is a part of land that has a puddle or remains wet and muddy almost all of the time even when the weather is dry. Such a situation might also require a plumber to come and assess it.

3.  Check the faucets and taps

There are many instances of water leaks happening especially at the point of taps and faucets. The faucets can leak all through the day and cause a lot of loss. One of the main reasons for leaks in faucets are old rubber washers that do not work that efficiently. This is why one needs to replace the rubber washers or get them replaced by a plumber in case such an issue arises. Replacing them is a fairly simple task that can help in preventing further water loss.

4.  Use easy technique to check for leaks in the toilet

Just like leaks everywhere, water can also leak from the flush onto the toilet bowl even when no one is using the flush. This happens when the toilet’s flapper, that is the flap part that prevents the water from trickling or going down into the toilet unless someone flushes, becomes worn out or non functional. Although sometimes it is clearly visible that the flapper has become worn out by looking at water trickling down the toilet even when it is not flushed, such a leak might be difficult  to identify in case the leak is very small and the amount of water coming out is difficult to determine.

In such a case a simple technique can be used to determine whether the water is actually leaking due to a loose flapper. Put a few drops of food colouring into the flush tank by taking out its lid. Put the lid back on and observe the toilet seat. If one can see the coloured water trickling down the seat even when no one has flushed the toilet then it can be determined that the water has been leaking from the flush tank due to a worn out flapper. It might now be time to change the flapper of the flush or get it changed by a plumber.

Conclusion

According to Daz Plumbing, water leak issues should not be taken lightly as they not only affect the water bill but also cause a huge wastage of water. They can also be a hygiene issue in case the source of water leak is a pipe attached to the sewage. This is why it is very important to address the issues of such leaks as soon as possible.

Moreover if issues of leaks are kept unresolved they can cause further damage to the property like the dampening of the walls, chipping off of paint and can also cause damage to furniture placed close to the walls. Water logging can also become a breeding ground for different kinds of mosquitoes and flies which can pose a health risk. This is why if any such issue arises it should be addressed as soon as possible and a plumber should be called when needed.