6 Tips on Preventing Water Leaks

Preventing water leaks in your household is a matter that can be closely related to regular maintenance of your home. The best tip we have to give is to maintain potentially problematic plumbing areas, and regularly inspect for potential water leaks. For added protection, there are water leak detection devices available on the market that can be placed in cabinets under sinks, on water heater platforms, and even at the main meter.

Here’s some advice on where to focus your maintenance and inspection efforts, and what you should mostly pay attention to:

• Watch out for increased water consumption: While checking your water consumption on a regular basis cannot help you prevent a water leak from occurring, it can help you identify and take swift action to stop an invisible leak from getting bigger, preventing increased damage. Here’s how you can do so:
• Read the bills: You probably know how much you pay for your water bills every month. If you notice that your bill is rising unexpectedly, there is probably a leak somewhere in your piping.
• Check the water meter: Checking the water meter is one of the best ways to inspect if there’s a water leak in your home. Do this by:
• Turning off all the faucets and appliances that use water.
• Recording the reading.
• Not using water for an hour afterward.
• Recording the reading again.
• If there are differences in the readings, there is a leak.
• Inspect your appliances: The various components in your water-using appliances age and become worn down, causing broken seals on your water connectors. When this happens, leaks occur. That is why you should inspect these seals on your washing machine, water heater, toilet, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
• Replace the washing machine hoses: The hot and cold water supply hoses connected to the washing machine are most commonly made from rubber. There is constant water running through these lines even when the washing machine is not in use. These rubber hoses have an average lifespan of five years, after which they usually begin to deteriorate, causing leaks. If you notice any damage on these hoses, or they are of age, it is recommended that you replace them to prevent leaks from occurring.
• Soften the water in your household: Sometimes, the local municipal water can have an overly high mineral content, which can lead to mineral deposits forming within the water supply lines. This increases pressure and accelerates corrosion on pipes and fixtures. Having a water softener installed for your household can increase the longevity of your piping and prevent leaks.
• Investigate your toilet: Your toilet can become the cause of losing as much as 500 gallons of water every day. And that’s just for a silent leak. It is important to regularly check your toilet for any potential leaks and react if you ever notice one. Do this by:
• Taking the lid of the tank, flushing, and watching if the water level comes up higher than approximately 1 inch below the overflow tube. If this happens, it will be easy for water to overflow and run down your drain.
• Prevent pipes from freezing: Finally, do all you can to prevent your piping from freezing in the winter. Frozen pipes crack easily, potentially causing havoc in your household and costing you plenty of money in repairs. Here’s what you can to:
• Insulate all the valves and pipes by wrapping exposed piping with pipe insulation.
• Turn off all house bibs and valves to prevent outside faucets from freezing.
• Open doors inside your home to allow warm air to circulate and heat the pipes.
• Drain all your outdoor water lines such as water features and irrigation systems.