With the average family wasting almost 200 gallons of water each week from household leaks, you need to ensure you do not join this group of unfortunate water-wasters by detecting and dealing with leaks when they occur. However, would you know how to do this safely and effectively?

Below, you will find insights into:

• Practical and routine leak detection methods
• Advanced technology used by professionals to find pipe issues
• Expert advice on turning complex issues into manageable ones
• Tips for avoiding costly disasters with your utilities

So, read on to ensure that you protect your home from easily preventable issues and expensive water damage.

Simple Pipe Inspection Tips

As a homeowner, you should consistently search for damp spots and subtle areas of discoloration in the walls close to pipes. These will often be the first sign of hidden leaks. When you look at the pipes here, you may not always see a visible water source, as the pipe may be exuding a thin mist that requires you to pass your hand a few centimeters over the area before you can feel the spray.

As such, make routine inspections of areas of your home where you know pipes to be close, such as the:

• Walls
• Ceilings
• Floors
• Cupboards

Then, if you notice problems, close to discoloration, or even small drips, you can follow them to the source where water is appearing. 

Alternatively, if you still cannot find the source, try making the house as quiet as possible, then try to hear what the pipes might be doing. A hissing noise may indicate a minor seepage as the water and pipe vibrate as it escapes.

Other signs of escaping moisture somewhere in the house may include the presence of:

• Gaps in tiles
• Mold or mildew in corners
• Small cracks in drywall
• Slight swelling in the walls
• Soft spots in the flooring
• Faint and musty odors

Another option is to utilize moisture meters. These offer objective data on whether specific areas are more humid than others or where moisture accumulates in places that might be hard to inspect visually.

Home Water Usage Analytics

Using a smart water meter in your home will give you extremely precise consumption data. As such, you may notice sudden spikes that indicate the sudden escape of water as the house or apartment settles. Another signal you need to investigate is if you see your home slowly losing small amounts of water over time, which cannot be attributed to regular home usage, especially if you are not in the location when it occurs.

If you do not have a smart meter, you should compare your water bills with historical data and look for anomalies that may indicate slow or undetected leaks, or even watch your water meter if you have one to see if it is slowly counting up water usage.

High-tech Water Leak Solutions

Hiring a professional to help with the leak detection process can mean bringing more powerful options to bear. If you choose to go this route, the following are some of the options they have available to search for the exact location of the leak:

• Infrared cameras to detect temperature differences behind walls
• Acoustic sensors to pinpoint subtle sounds from water movement
• Smart water sensors that offer alerts to abnormal moisture levels
• Ultrasonic detectors to detect changes in pressure within the pipes themselves
• Tracer gas sensors that can detect hydrogen-nitrogen mixes pumped into empty pipes
• Dyes that make it much more apparent where leaks might be coming out

Each of these methods works for different scenarios. As such, the technician may need to inspect your home first to determine which is more appropriate for your situation.

However, once you detect a leak, if you cannot resolve it yourself, the solution should also be to call in a professional. The last thing you want to do is make it worse by taking action that inadvertently causes more harm to the pipe.

Home Water Leak Prevention Strategies

Instead of looking for a leak, your best bet should be to prevent water damage from occurring in the first place. Take the following steps to ensure your home’s infrastructure is secure enough to prevent you from experiencing water damage.

First of all, regularly descale your pipes. Doing this will remove harmful mineral deposits within the pipe that can often weaken the system’s structural integrity. Alternatively, these deposits may grow over time and block pipes, which can cause other issues.

At the same time, consider using an anti-corrosion treatment to protect metal components from issues such as rust and other forms of deterioration. This step is essential in a high-humidity area when dealing with either water pipes or those prone to condensation. Both of these might cause water to form from the air, damaging the pipe and the area underneath it if not treated.

Similarly, in a location like Vegas, where an HVAC system is often a common sight, you may want to check that the air conditioning does not cause similar leaks or drip onto other areas of infrastructure, like the piping.

Upgrading Your Home Piping

One of the simplest ways to ensure that your pipes can handle the water pressure is to upgrade them. Many modern piping materials are head-and-shoulders over those installed only a few decades ago.

As such, you should seek out an installation that can handle higher pressures and more extreme temperature variations. These can then ensure greater longevity in your home’s infrastructure.

Combining this with a long-term maintenance plan that incorporates a professional evaluation of your system with installation can safeguard the whole plumbing system and give you the peace of mind to avoid many more significant problems.

Avoid Water Damage with Expert Leak Detection

Enacting swift and accurate leak detection is crucial in preventing more extensive water damage in your home. It can also ensure you preserve the value of your home long-term and avoid costly expenses. If you are unsure how to do this, consider leveraging local Vegas expertise.

Contact Leak Experts for professional and reliable water detection and leak repair techniques. Ensure the value of your home is not affected by your pipes and water systems in the long term. Invite us to inspect your home and ask for our expert advice today.