How to Check for Household Water Leaks

How to Tell If You Have a Water Leak

As common as leaks are, they have a huge potential to be disastrous. As a homeowner, you should know how to locate leaks quickly before they become a serious problem. The good news is that once you know how to find a water leak in your house, you can tackle these issues long before they pose a threat to you or your property.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to find a water leak in your yard or home. We’ll also show you what methods plumbers and other professionals use to detect leaks and answer some frequently asked questions about water leaks in the following sections:

Ways to Check if You Have a Water Leak in Your Home

One of the quickest ways to find out if you have a leak is to take a look at your water bill. Leaks tend to cause huge spikes in your water bill, so an unexpected increase in your expenses may point toward a leak.

Of course, you probably want to address a leak before it hits your wallet. So here are some ways you can physically check for a water leak in your house:

Check your hot water tank: The pressure relief valves on hot water tanks sometimes plumb directly into drains, making it difficult to immediately notice a leak. Listen for a spraying or hissing sound — this likely indicates a leak. Alternatively, if you suspect a leak but cannot hear anything, remove the drain pipe to visually check for a leak.
Check the toilet tank: Toilets are a common place for leaks to occur. You should listen for a hissing sound and identify where it comes from. If you can’t notice it easily, add food coloring to the tank and see if coloring appears in the bowl without flushing. This likely indicates a leak in the flapper, which can be addressed without the assistance of a plumber.
Check the meter line: Finally, if you know you have a leak but have not identified it through any of the previous methods, your meter line may have an issue. Provided it is possible, begin by shutting off the water and then watch the needle on top of the meter. If the meter climbs after shut-off, you have a leak between the meter and the house. Examine the area around the meter and shut-off valve to try and locate the leak. Even if you cannot locate it, this information will help the plumber find it more quickly and could save you money.

Signs That You Have a Water Leak in Your Yard

Leaks don’t just occur inside your home; they can happen in your yard too. While it may seem inconsequential compared to a house leak, one in your yard can prove just as costly. Which is why we want to show you how to find a water leak in your yard.

Here are a few ways to identify a leak outside of the house:

Check the meter line (again): If you suspect the leak is outside your home, shut off your water and watch to see if the usage meter keeps spinning. If it does, walk along the length of the line to look for muddy or soft areas in the dirt.
Check your hose pipes: Hose bibs can cause extremely damaging leaks. A constant drip runs the risk of harming your foundation. The first way to check for a leak is to just look at it: if there’s water coming from bib, then you have a leak. If you don’t see any leaks, you can use a screwdriver to listen for a leak. To do this, put the metal tip on the hose bib, your thumb on top of the screwdriver and then place the area directly in front of your ear on that thumb knuckle. This uses the screwdriver like a stethoscope and can help you identify a leak within the pipe leading to the bib. You should then check your other bibs to see if the sound is louder in any of them.

How Plumbers Detect Leaks

Plumbers tend to have more tools at their disposal than a typical homeowner. Here are some interesting techniques and pieces of leak detection technology that they use to find leaks:

Video equipment: If a leak is in a difficult to identify place, a plumber may use a drain snake with a camera attached to locate the leak and assess the damage.
Listening discs: Listening discs allow plumbers to use an improved version of the screwdriver stethoscope technique. These discs can even detect leaks through walls and furniture.
Acoustic leak detection: Plumbers who are fond of emerging tech may use cloud analytics on their phone to help them identify leaks through acoustic vibrations that are nearly impossible to hear.

Does a Home Warranty Cover Leaks Inside and Outside the Home?

A home warranty does not cover leaks inside or outside of the home. The damage from leaks tend to be covered by home insurance companies. However, some small leaks, such as leaky faucets and toilets, may be covered by home warranties.

Our home warranty plan also comes with handyman services included in your contract, which can help you address small plumbing issues for nothing more than your $65 dollar deductible.

Water Leak FAQs

What do you need to check first if there is a water leak?

There is no specific place to check first, but some of the most common areas for leaks are kitchen sinks, hose bibs, hot water tanks and toilets. If you check each of these areas and do not find a leak, you may consider finding a plumber.

How do you find the source of a water leak?

To find the source of a leak, you should check your plumbing items (e.g., shower, toilet, sinks). Listen to them to find out if there is a hissing sound. Try to identify where the hissing sound is loudest to point you toward the rough location of your leak.

How do I know if my pipes are leaking under my floor?

When pipes are leaking under the floor, it can damage the floor itself. Ideally, you can listen for the sound of water, or failing that, bring in a plumber to use their listening equipment. If you suspect a leak under your floor, we recommend calling a plumber as soon as possible.

Is there a device to detect water leaks in walls?

Yes, plumbers often have devices called listening discs that allow them to pinpoint the location of a leak through walls and furniture.

How do you find a leak in a yard?

To find a leak in your yard, shut off your main valve and see if the meter continues to run. If it does, that means the leak is somewhere between the main and your house. Walk along the length of the main to locate a soft or muddy spot. If you cannot locate the spot on your own, call a plumber as soon as possible in order to avoid damage to your property.