6 Signs of a Leak

It’s a scene you’re probably familiar with from movies and tv — the hero is lying in bed, tossing and turning, a steady drip from a faucet keeping him from catching the Z’s he needs. This scene is played for laughs, but a leak is no laughing matter—and it can actually be dangerous, not just to your home but to your health.

Of course, leaks don’t often play out like a scene from the movies; they can be much less evident. So, aside from obvious signs like an overflowing toilet, how can you tell if you have a leak?

1. Unusually High Water Bills

Water bills normally remain consistent, with no more than a $10-$15 variance from month-to-month. So, unless you’re hosting house guests leading to increased water consumption, or maybe filling up a large pool in May, a spike in your water bill is a good indicator of a leak in your home.

2. The Sound of Running Water

If you’re hearing water running, your first step should be to check your faucets, toilet valves, and outdoor spigots. If everything if status quo, take an exact reading of your water meter and don’t use the water for a few hours. Then, take another meter reading. If there has been no change, that means water is not running (and maybe it’s time to have your hearing checked!). If the reading has changed, however, this indicates that water is indeed flowing and you most likely have a leak.

3. Wet or Damp Floors

You’re walking across your carpet and suddenly squish—your socks are soaked! The dog doesn’t look guilty and your child swears they didn’t spill anything. You’re likely looking at a leak. Now, it’s easy to just soak it up with a towel and call it a day; however, this won’t fix the problem. Ignoring the problem allows moisture to build up, ultimately causing mold or mildew. Not only is this smelly, it can be very toxic and harmful to children, the elderly, pets, and those with weakened immune systems.

4. Foul Odors

If there’s an unpleasant smell in your home and you can’t locate the source, don’t just light a candle or spray some Febreze. Funky smells are often due to mold and mildew, which spread quickly under ideal conditions (optimal temperature and level of humidity). Growth begins within about 24-48 hours, and spores start to colonize in 3-12 days, becoming visible to the eye within about 18 days. If you think the odor is leak-related, get a plumber out as soon as possible to mitigate damage from rapid fungi growth.

5. Overgrowth in the Lawn

Unless you didn’t fertilize your lawn evenly, a lush patch of grass in a select area of your lawn, or concentrated wet spots, may indicate pipe leakage which is acting as a fertilizer. Left untreated, hazardous bacteria in the underground waste will quickly turn into a messy situation, going from lush growth to lawn destruction.

6. Wall Cracks

Over time, even the smallest of leaks can cause cracks in the foundation of your home and compromise the entire structure. How does it happen? The leak continues hammering away at the same spot in the ground beneath your home, eventually causing it to shift slightly. Now, you may never feel this shift, but your walls will. This can be a very dangerous situation, so if you’re seeing vertical or diagonal cracking in your walls it’s best to call a professional.