I’m Not Sure if I Have a Leak
Sometimes you just aren’t sure. Here are some ways you can tell if you may actually have a leak, which will require immediate attention.
Signs of potential leaks in and around your home:
- You can hear the continuous sound of water inside your house (like a toilet running or someone left the outside spigot on) when nothing is actually turned on.
- Your water meter reading changes when you aren't using any water. Here’s what to do: Mark the indicator on your meter; don't use any water for an hour; then check the meter. If the indicator moved, you may have a leak.
- Your water bill is higher over a period of weeks or months. (Compare your bills month to month.) They should be fairly steady unless you filled your pool, hot tub, or are using an in-ground sprinkler system in the summer.
- Inside, your walls or floors have wet, spongy, moist or discolored areas when nothing has been spilled on them.
- You can smell foul odors coming from floors or walls near drains or sewers. This can be either inside or outside your home.
- If the foundation in your home cracks, vegetation grows unevenly, or earth shifts for no apparent reason, this could be the sign of a leak under or around your home.
- You find warm spots on your floor, particularly on a concrete slab floor.
Signs of potential leaks around your pool or spa:
- You lose 1/8" of water or more in 24 hours. To find out if this is happening, perform what we call a bucket test.
- You find algae forming too soon after a chemical treatment.
- You find loose or falling tiles or pool deck cracks. (All are signs that the surrounding ground is being softened or loosened by water.)
- Your pool or spa has settled into the ground or cracks and gaps appear in the pool shell or concrete deck.
- You find standing water, mushy spots, or uneven grass growth around the pool/spa area.
- Your automatic filler is continually releasing water.
Back to the main Leak Detection page