Has your water usage gone high suddenly for no apparent reason? Is an area in your garden extra green? Is there a damp patch in your kitchen cupboard?
These are just some of the signs that a water leak is present.
The most common areas for a household leak are:
- A leaking toilet
- A dripping tap
- Leaking underground pipes
- Or a failed hot water system relief valve
If you do suspect a leak, there are two things you can personally do to prove that you do have a leak before calling a plumber:
- Do a walk around of all your house hold appliances, i.e. sink, toilets (inside the bowl), taps, etc. to see if there are any leaks. Even the slightest drip from a tap could mean hundreds of litres of wasted water each year.
- If there are no leaks present then just before you go to bed, take a reading of the water meter and ensure that no one uses the water through the night. Check the water meter reading in the morning and compare the two readings. Any change means you have a leak. Using this method, you can also determine the extent of the leak, no matter how big or small.
If method 2 has produced a result, you now have an idea that the leak is either underground or concealed in a wall and now is the time to call a professional or investigate further yourself.