The "Leak Geek" knows
8 ways to identify water leaks
Sometimes you can have a leak in your house for months without ever knowing. Follow these tips from the DWR Leak Geeks to find out if you have a leak before it's too late.
1. Walk Around
Take a walk around your house, does the grass in your yard have puddles or large wet spots? Are there curious, spongey areas in the lawn that ooze water when you step on them? These may be indications of a water leak.
2. Follow the Money
Compare your water utility bill with past bills to see if it is larger than usual. As the weather gets warmer and sprinkler systems are turned on after a long, cold winter, DWR leak geeks often get calls from customers that have unusually high water usage in April and May. Often, the cause of these seasonal calls stem from cracked sprinkler pipes or broken sprinkler heads. See item #4 below.
3. Check the Bathroom
You can check to see if your toilet is leaking by placing a few drops of food coloring into the tank of your toilet. Wait about 20 minutes and if the water in the bowl changes color, you have a leak. Or, if don't have food color handy and you would like to request a non-toxic 'toilet dye' kit, please call DWR's office during normal business hours (M-F, 8 AM - 5 PM) and our staff will mail this to you -- it's small, and fits nicely into a #10 envelope.
4. Turn off Sprinklers
If your toilets aren't the source of the leak, the next likely suspect is the outdoor irrigation system -- your sprinklers. To check this, turn off all the water in your home (toilets, clothes washer spigots, sink faucets) and then check your meter (see #5 below). If the meter continues to run, chances are you have a leak in your sprinkler system. This could mean a simple repair is in order, such as changing a sprinkler head, or it could possibly be a cracked or damaged irrigation pipe. These are always fun to find (see item #1 "spongey areas in lawn"). You might opt to find and repair the problem yourself -- and some hardware stores offer free classes on sprinkler repair. Or, you might want to contact a licensed professional landscaper to do this for you.
5. Find your Meter
Your water meter is most likely located in front of your house in the front yard near the property line. If you live in an older home the meter may be located on the outside wall of the house. If the meter is located in a meter pit in the front yard, carefully remove the meter box lid to prevent injury to yourself or damage to the meter, meter wires or lid, then remove the foam insulation piece. Please be sure to replace the foam insulation and secure the meter lid when you're finished. Verify the meter number to ensure you are checking service for your residence and see if the meter reading is similar to the one on your most recent bill. While DWR allows access to the meter pit, please do not tamper with, move or operate the meter.
6. Look at your Water Meter
Once you've located your meter, check the red flow indicator (this is a red triangle or the dial, depending on the age and type of your meter) to see if it's moving a lot. If the triangle (flow indicator) or needle moves while all water devices inside and outside the home are shut off, water is flowing through the meter and you most likely have a leak.
7. Perform a Leak Check
Check the water meter before you leave the house, when no one else is going to be home for a while using water. After an hour or two, check the meter again. If its meter reading has changed significantly, you have a leak.
8. Last Resort - The Main Water Shut-off Valve
If you've gone through all the steps above and you still haven't found the leak, shut off the main water shut-off valve, usually located on the side at the front of your house. Once this is shut off, turn on a faucet to make sure there is no water flowing inside the home, then check the meter again. If it's still moving, the leak is most likely between the shutoff valve and the water meter (usually somewhere in your front yard). Never operate the valve in the meter pit. If you believe that water is leaking between the meter and your home please call the DWR office at 954-4668 or 954-4660 to have someone from our utility division confirm a suspected leak.
Don't Make it Worse - Many leaks in the home are easy to fix yourself. Don't get in over your head though, if you find a leak you're not sure how to repair, call a licensed professional plumber.