It’s easy to take plumbing systems for granted until something goes wrong with them. For example, even a small leak in the pipes can lead to mold growth, rot, and wasted money on energy bills. A responsible homeowner can avoid these problems by catching leaks and hiring an expert to make plumbing repairs early on before they have a chance to worsen. Here are three tips for accomplishing this.

Use These Tips to Catch Leaks Early, Before They Require Major Plumbing Repairs

1. Check the Water Meter

Many water meters have a special dial designed to indicate the presence of a leak. To read yours accurately, you’ll first need to shut off all the water in your home. If this dial continues to move after the water is shut off, it signals that water is still flowing, which means there’s a leak. Even if your water meter doesn’t have a leak indicator, you can still check this by turning off all the water, waiting a few hours, then checking for any change in the usage reading. If there is a change, that means you have a leak.

2. Research Your Monthly Bills

While water usage naturally varies from month to month in most households, a pattern of increasing usage often signals a leak somewhere in the system. This increase may be sudden or gradual depending on the size of the leak; regardless, studying your bills from the last several months should help you determine if there’s an issue.

3. Search for Toilet Leaks

Toilets are one of the major causes of water waste. When all is working as it should, water shouldn’t flow between the tank and the bowl until you flush. To determine whether this is the case, put a few drops of food coloring into the tank, then wait to see if that color shows up in the bowl. If it does, there’s a leak.

If you’re seeking assistance with plumbing repairs around Moorseville, NC, the experts at Thompson Plumbing & Pump Services, Inc. can help. Whether you need pump repairs or drain cleaning services, they’ll use over three decades of experience to provide quality work that will protect you and your home. Learn more today about their range of services by visiting them online or calling (704)664-2498.