How to Find and Repair Plumbing Leaks

A woman inspecting a sink faucet in the kitchen.

Plumbing leaks are no laughing matter. As you may know, even small leaks can lead to high water bills, costly repairs, and serious water damage to your home over some time. So if you think you could be dealing with a water leak somewhere in your plumbing system, you’ll want to get to the root cause of the issue as soon as possible.

Although it’s always a good idea to call a plumber for help, you can learn how to find a water leak on your own. You can encounter many types of leaks, including those that have to do with your water pipes, sinks, and toilets. Once you pinpoint the leak’s location, you can formulate a plan for fixing it.

Let’s discuss how to find and repair plumbing leaks in more detail below!

Pipe Leaks

Leaks in your water pipes are difficult to pinpoint, as they’re located behind your walls and out of sight. Fortunately, you can still take various steps to locate the leak without breaking through your wall.

For example, you can perform a water meter test to see if your water usage is unusually high. First, you must start by turning off the shut-off valve to your water supply line. Also, ensure that all your appliances, such as your washing machine and water heater, are shut off. Immediately after doing this, check the water meter and write down the numbers you see on it.

After an hour or so, recheck the water meter. If the reading has changed, this likely means that you’re dealing with a leak somewhere inside your home.

Now that you’ve confirmed the presence of a leak, you probably want to pinpoint it. You can use leak detection equipment, such as an infrared camera, to detect the presence of moisture in your walls. Cold water will show up blue, while hot water will appear red.

How to Repair Pipe Leaks

Although it can be helpful to find a water leak in your walls, you need to fix the problem as soon as possible to prevent water damage. You’ll want to contact a professional plumber for a solution, as they’ll have the necessary equipment and knowledge to get the situation under control. Experts in the field can get into hard-to-reach places and will provide a reliable repair or replacement that’s much safer than a DIY fix.

Sink Leaks

Since we’re discussing how to find and repair plumbing leaks of all shapes and sizes, it only makes sense to talk about sinks. The plumbing surrounding your sink can experience wear and tear over time, leading to various types of leaks.

For example, you might have noticed water dripping from your faucet. This is considered a leak and should be handled with the utmost care — or else you could end up with much higher water bills than you’d like.

However, there are other water leaks that are more difficult to detect, such as those in your sink drains. You can diagnose drain leaks by performing a quick test. Simply cover the drain with a sink stopper, then fill the sink basin with water.

Once the sink is full of water, unstopper the drain. This should allow you to pinpoint a leak in your drain pipe, as the water from your sink will start to drip out of a crack or loose connection.

How to Repair Sink Leaks

Once you know how to find a water leak in your sink, you can get to work fixing the problem. In some cases, drain leaks can be easy to resolve. You might only need to tighten the nuts at the leaking connections. However, you may need to replace the nuts in certain situations.

Are you unfamiliar with plumbing repairs? Don’t hesitate to call a plumber for assistance. A professional will provide you with a suitable solution, whether that’s replacing a worn-out O-ring and washer or overhauling the valve seat.

Toilet Leaks

Now that we’ve discussed water pipe and sink leaks, it’s time to move on to toilets. It’s important to know how to find and repair plumbing leaks that have to do with your toilet bowl, tank, and seal. This way, you can conserve water and prevent a more serious problem down the line.

First and foremost, you’ll want to determine the location of the leak. Are you noticing water pooling at the base of the toilet? If so, you’re most likely dealing with a bad seal. However, it’s important to mention that you could also be dealing with a leak inside the toilet bowl. Be on the lookout for cracks in the porcelain — even if they’re minuscule.

Of course, there are also those leaks that are invisible to the naked eye. Your toilet could have an internal leak that’s causing it to run constantly, wasting a great deal of water in the process. You can perform a color dye test to check for leaks.

Place ten to twenty drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Without flushing the toilet, step away and wait for about ten to twenty-five minutes. If there’s food coloring in the toilet bowl the next time you check it, this indicates the presence of a leak.

How to Repair Toilet Leaks

Some toilet leaks can be easy to fix. For example, if the toilet is leaking at the base, you can simply replace the seal. Besides this, you’ll want to contact a plumber for a professional repair or replacement.

If you’re dealing with an interior leak, the plumber may need to replace the flapper, fill valve, or similar component. However, if there’s a crack in your toilet bowl or tank, the technician may recommend overhauling your toilet completely. Same Day Plumbing can help you with a toilet installation in Toronto if you believe that’s the best solution.

Sometimes, learning how to find a water leak is the easiest part of the process. Finding the best fix for the problem can be challenging. That’s why it’s a good idea to work with an experienced plumbing company that will give you an honest, cost-effective solution.

Fix Plumbing Leaks With Same Day Plumbing!

Hopefully, you have a better idea of how to find and repair plumbing leaks. As you can see, many types of leaks can spring up inside your home, leaving behind nasty water stains, wreaking havoc on your water bills, and much more. It’s important to address these problems ASAP to protect your home.
Now that you know how to find a water leak, don’t wait any longer. Same Day Plumbing is here to help you with a water leak repair. Our highly trained and experienced plumbers specialize in everything from pipe replacements to drain service in Toronto, ON, to keep your plumbing system running smoothly. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!