You may suspect that your Palm Desert, CA home has a hidden water leak if you notice a spike in your water bills without a known cause. Your water meter may be moving even though there isn’t any water running in your home. Also, water pooling and water stains on ceilings and walls can indicate a leak. Let’s look at the ways you can find a hidden water leak in your home so it can be repaired by a professional from our team.
Check Your Yard
Look around your yard for spots on your lawn that are greener and lusher than the rest of the area. This can indicate there is a plumbing leak nearby that is nourishing the grass in that area. You may also notice that there is visible water pooling on the ground or that the earth feels wet and mushy.
Check in Cabinets and Vanities
Look inside your various cabinets and vanities to see if any of your pipes or fixtures are leaking. You may see condensation on the surface of the pipes, water pooling underneath the plumbing, or even mold growth. Sometimes the fix is as simple as tightening the connection between pipes. Other times, a break or crack in a pipe may be to blame and require replacement.
Dripping Sounds
Do you hear dripping somewhere in your home when the water should be turned off? A slow leak could be coming from a faucet or shower head. There’s the possibility that you have water leaking from a pipe within a wall or ceiling. We can help you by sending a professional plumber to investigate water leaks that aren’t immediately visible.
Musty or Moldy Smells
Some homes have a musty or moldy smell to them. This may not apply to the entire home, but that smell is coming from moisture somewhere. You can control high relative humidity levels in the home using a whole-house dehumidifier. However, there may be a leak somewhere that is causing microbial growth. These smells can be harmful to your health and should be checked out immediately.
Using Leak Detectors
You can invest in small leak detection units placed in various areas of your home that may be at risk of a water leak. Ideal locations include near your water heater, underneath sinks, and around water filtration of softener units. Make sure you change these batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure they work reliably.
Testing Your Toilet
A home’s toilet is a common location for leaks. While you may not see water pooling on the ground around this fixture, internal leaks are a common issue. There is a flapper valve that can degrade over time. This can allow water to leak from the tank into the bowl.
You can perform a dye test on your own to see if this is the issue. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank of your toilet. If you start to see color leaking into the bowl of the toilet, you have a leak between the tank and the bowl, and it needs to be repaired.
The Importance of Finding and Fixing Water Leaks
A leak in your home can lead to structural damage, mold growth, and more. These leaks can be quite costly in terms of wasted water and potential water-related damage. A slowly leaking faucet can add a gallon or more of water to your utility bill each day. If that faucet is dripping faster or you have a constantly running toilet, you could be losing tens or hundreds of gallons of water a day or month, and the extra water can attract pests in search of a moist environment, like drain flies and mold mites.
If you need help finding and repairing plumbing issues such as water leaks in your Palm Desert home, reach out to our team here at Righty Roo Plumbing & Air. In addition to leak detection and repair services, we offer hydro jetting, gas line service, water heater maintenance, camera inspections, toilet repair, water filtration, and much more.
Contact Righty Roo Plumbing & Air to schedule an appointment today.
