What You Need to Know About Fort Worth Leak Detection

Plumbing leaks happen to everyone, but just because they're common, it doesn’t mean they aren’t something you should be concerned about. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have all the information you need about Fort Worth leak detection.

If you think the only issue with having a dripping tap in your bathroom is that it's a bit of an annoyance, you'd be wrong. The average American household wastes between 2000 and 20,000 gallons of water every year due to plumbing leaks alone. In addition to having a negative impact on the environment, the cost of even just 2000 gallons of wasted water has a noticeable impact on your energy bill.

Even worse than a leaking faucet is the sneaky plumbing leak that goes unnoticed. That is until it results in a fully-fledged plumbing emergency. This happens more often than you might think—water damage is the second most common insurance claim made in the United States and the third most expensive claim type.

Don't let a leak go undetected. Your plumber in Fort Worth, TX, can offer you professional plumbing leak detection services before a plumbing emergency occurs. You can also detect (and occasionally fix) a leak in your home on your own.

Signs You Have a Leak in Your Home

Sometimes a leak is obvious. If you've ever had a leaky faucet, you know just how loud that can sound in the middle of the night before your big meeting the following morning. However, more often than not, household water leaks can go undetected right under your nose. To avoid a repair that costs thousands of dollars, regularly check for the following three indicators of residential plumbing problems:

Unpleasant Smells

You took out the garbage, cleaned the bathroom, and opened up the windows to get some fresh air flowing through the house. Despite this, there's still a lingering moldy, musty smell that you just can't seem to get rid of no matter what you do. If you're struggling to find the source of this smell, the chances are good that you have a leaking pipe somewhere behind your walls.

Unidentifiable leaks resulting in unappealing smells are a clear sign that you should contact skilled technicians who offer Fort Worth leak detection services.

Changes in Your Water Bill

Making note of your bills each month is a great way to stay on top of your finances and stick to a budget. However, you may not realize that there's also another reason you should keep track of changes to your utility bill: for Fort Worth leak detection.

If you notice a sudden spike in your utility bill but haven't changed your habits, it's possible that there is a leak in your home. The change could also be a result of an increase in utility rates in the Fort Worth area. If you're unsure, give your utility provider a call and inquire about possible reasons behind the change.

Water Meter Levels

A more surefire method of Fort Worth leak detection is to take a look at your water meter. Water meters are devices used to measure the volume of water that passes through a pipe. This information is used by utility companies to determine how much to charge their customers.

To improve Fort Worth's leak detection and utility bill accuracy, the city is in the process of replacing all traditional residential and commercial meters with digital meters through the MyH20 program. Once the project is complete, all residents will be able to opt in to receive alerts about their usage. One such alert occurs when liquid is detected to be running continuously for a long period of time—indicating a potential leak. Customers with new meters will also be able to check their usage by the hour, making tracking sudden changes easier.

Those with more traditional meters can manually check for leaks by shutting off all water sources in the home, reading the value on the meter, and then checking in an hour or two to see if the value has changed. If usage increases despite nothing being used (including the dishwasher, washing machine, and shower), it’s likely that your plumbing lines are compromised.

Where is That Plumbing Leak Coming From?

What makes plumbing leak detection so difficult is the fact that leaks can occur in so many different places around the home. In addition to indoor and outdoor water line issues, leaks can come from:

• Tubs
• Showers
• Toilets
• Dishwashers
• Washing machines
• Water heaters

If you’re not ready to call a plumber for Fort Worth leak detection services, there are some Fort Worth leak detection tips you can try to locate the source of the hidden leak on your own first.

Listen for Drips

If you have a rambunctious household, it may not ever be quiet enough to detect the sound of a drip. Though nighttime may offer the opportunity to hear drips a little more clearly, you may be less likely to hear potential drips in those less often-used rooms that are located further away from the bedroom.

When it’s quiet, take the opportunity to walk through each room in your home and listen for any sounds out of the ordinary.

Pay Attention to Rust

When drips aren’t present, rust is a clear indication of a possible leak. Rust will also helpfully tell you exactly where the leak is occurring.

Look for rust around the base of the taps and spots beneath the sink. Heavy rust is a sign that your pipes or fixtures are breaking down, so make sure you call a professional Fort Worth leak detection service provider immediately.

Look Around the Yard

When people think about Fort Worth leak detection, they usually think about the pipes inside their homes. Plumbing issues could also occur within the water lines that run beneath your property, from the end of the front sidewalk all the way to the far side of the backyard.

If you notice unexpected changes in your utility bill or usage but can’t pinpoint the source of the leak, take a stroll around the yard. You’ll want to look out for anything out of the ordinary, such as a patch of grass that looks greener than the rest or a particularly spongy area of the yard. These indicate that a pipe may be leaking nearby.

Exterior water line issues cannot be repaired by the homeowner. Call an insured plumber, or contact the city if the damaged line appears to be located off your property.

Perform a Dye Test

If there are no signs of drips, rust, or puddles anywhere, the culprit of the leak could be the toilet. Toilets are notorious for leaking but don’t always leave ample evidence behind.

The toilet tank contains a rubber stopper called a flapper that opens when the toilet is flushed and blocks water flow between flushes. Over time, the rubber will become brittle and break down, causing water to trickle from the tank into the toilet bowl—even when not in use.

To determine if the flapper is no longer doing its job, all you have to do is grab that rarely used bottle of food coloring off the top shelf and squeeze a few drops into the tank. Come back in about ten minutes. If there's a dye in the toilet bowl, the flapper needs to be replaced.

This is a job you could do yourself if you're fairly handy. If handyman work isn't your area of expertise, call a plumber that specializes in Fort Work leak detection.

Look Up

A leak that is coming through the ceiling may not always be as obvious as you’d think. If the leak is slow enough, the water may dry before it creates a puddle on the ground. However, discoloration will occur on the ceiling over time. If you’re having trouble locating the source of that musty smell, look for abnormally-colored patches on your ceiling.

A wet spot on the ceiling either indicates a leaking roof or a leaking pipe. To determine the cause, there are two things you can check:

• The water meter: If all the taps are turned off, and the level doesn't change, it's a leaking roof issue.
• The weather: If it hasn’t rained recently, it’s a plumbing issue.

Use a Moisture Meter

Still can’t find the source of the leak? Another great plumbing leak detection method is to use a moisture meter to locate leaks behind walls.

Decent moisture meters can be purchased from most hardware stores. They can be a bit of an investment but are not outrageously expensive. To use a moisture meter, simply sweep the detection pad across the wall. You will normally get a reading between 5% and 10%, but if you hit an area that reads 50% or higher, you’ve probably just located the source of the leak.

Moisture meters that come with prongs can also be used to detect moisture levels in carpets. This can be helpful for finding a leak beneath the floor.

Open Up the Wall

The most straightforward way to locate a leaky pipe behind the wall is to simply cut away the wall to see what’s happening behind it. Of course, this is incredibly invasive, messy, and costly to repair. It is therefore not recommended unless you are positive there is a leak.

Wall discoloration, bubbling paint, and bubbling wallpaper are all fairly good signs that there's a leaky pipe behind that part of the wall. Unless you know how to fix the leaking pipe yourself, it's best to search for a company that provides leak detection in Fort Worth, TX, and contact the professionals to do the job.

When to Invest in Professional Fort Worth Leak Detection

In the age of YouTube, it can be tempting to try to do everything yourself before calling in leak detection specialists. Some issues discovered through plumbing leak detection are easy enough to fix on your own, such as a leaky faucet that just needs to be tightened. However, this can be more complicated than you might think—even with the help of YouTube.

Any project that is more complex than a leaky faucet is almost always better left to Fort Worth leak detection specialists. If you make an error that results in a plumbing emergency, the cost of repairing more extensive damage will be considerably greater than the cost of hiring a licensed plumber in the first place.

You may also not have the proper tools to perform a water leak repair. Instead of spending money on new tools, it makes more sense to simply spend that money on hiring a professional plumber. Not only will this save you time, but the plumber will have the expertise to detect any additional plumbing problems that you didn’t notice were there.

Mr. Rooter Will Meet Your Needs for Fort Worth Leak Detection

For professional and trustworthy Fort Worth leak detection services, contact Mr. Rooter. Founded in 1970, Mr. Rooter has more than fifty years of experience in the plumbing industry.

At Mr. Rooter, we can provide leak detection services for both commercial and residential properties in Fort Worth. Using the latest camera inspection technology, we can non-invasively identify the root cause of plumbing leaks in addition to looking for other issues such as corroding pipes, clogs, and cracks. We’re the team you need for Fort Worth leaking pipes and other services for plumbing diagnosis and inspection in Fort Worth, TX.

All of our plumbers have several years of experience, making them true experts at what they do. All of our employees are also licensed and insured, so you can rest assured you have nothing else to worry about when they enter your home.

What sets us apart from other leak detection Fort Worth, TX companies is our belief in integrity, respect, and customer focus. We'll give you the cost of our services upfront and won't charge for overtime. This means that the rate you agree to pay is the same as the cost on the invoice at the end of the service. We're also proud to offer 24/7 availability to fit all of our customers' schedules and to provide an immediate response to emergencies no matter when they occur.

To set up an appointment, call Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Fort Worth today or fill out our online job estimate request form to schedule an appointment. We proudly serve Fort Worth and many nearby areas, including Arlington, Mansfield, and Haltom City. With the help of Mr. Rooter, you can say goodbye to leaks today!