How To Find Leaks In Your Water Line ?

By Scott Rodgers

Locating the water leaks in your water line and diagnosing the problem may serve for the welfare of your plumbing system as a whole.

Calling a plumber straightaway can take a heavy toll on your monthly budget. Instead, take up the project in your own hands as such a minor task doesn't necessarily call for the involvement of an expert.

Distribute the entire task into two phases. The first phase would cover the test to determine the leak in your plumbing setup whereas the second phase would involve the actual task of locating the source of leak and diagnosing it accordingly. To determine the presence of leaks in your water line, turn off the main water supply to the entire home and check the reading on the water meter.

To locate the water meter, check the basement or the sidewalk of the home as they're the places where a water meter is commonly installed in a house. A water meter has a dial on it's head which monitors the water usage of the home and notifies the user.

If the water meter keeps showing fluctuations of the dial after shutting off the water supply to the home then a leak is detected somewhere in the pipeline. If however the meter becomes passive and the needle doesn't move from a fixed position then no leak is determined.

After finishing off the first phase, move on to the next phase of the project. Turn off the water supply to your toilet and observe the reading of the water meter. If the dial has slowed or stopped then the toilet is detected as the source of water leak. In case no such aberration is noticed then move to the other plumbing segments to locate the source of leak. Shut down the water supply of each of these plumbing units one by one and notice the behavior of the water meter.

If however all the plumbing spaces of the home look fine then divert your attention to the plumbing setup outside your home. Check the sprinkler system, irrigation system etc. for leaks using the same method. Also check the pipeline between the water meter and the main shut-off valve by turning off the main water control valve. It is usually located in the garage or next to the water-softener.

If however you fail to work out the causes and the solutions of these water leaks then the services of a plumber can be availed. - 30517

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