We understand how frustrating it can be to deal with an Arizona home water leak. Leaks can pop up anywhere and at any time, leaving you in a tough position to get the issue resolved. Home leaks are stressful, time-consuming, and costly—especially if they have created water damage that needs to be repaired. Plus, not all leaks are easy to locate and repair on your own. Without the proper tools and experience, you might not be able to fix the leak. Or worse—you might accidentally make the leak worse!

If you’re struggling with an Arizona home water leak, contact the pros at Leak Science! We have years of experience dealing with leaks throughout Arizona. No leak is too complicated for our expert team to handle. Call us at 480-794-0959 or contact us online to schedule your service appointment!
 

Common Locations for Arizona Home Water Leaks

Your home is full of appliances that keep things running smoothly every day. As useful as these appliances are, they are unfortunately subject to water leaks. It’s important to keep an eye on your appliances to check for signs of wear, aging, or damage, which could all contribute to a leak. If you’re concerned about leaks in your appliances, here are the most common locations to check for Arizona home water leaks. 

Check the following areas:

• Bathrooms. Bathrooms are one of the most frequently used rooms in the house. Keep an eye on all bathroom features, including showers, tubs, faucets, sinks, and toilets. Each of these features has the potential to spring a leak at some point. Do you notice any strange noises or smells? Is your water pressure low or sluggish? Are your drains prone to clogs? All of these may be signs of leaks, and you should have a professional inspect your bathroom features.
   
• Under the sink. You’ve all seen the commercials of water spewing out of pipes underneath the sink. Even if that is exaggerated, leaks can still happen at a moment’s notice. Check frequently under kitchen and bathroom sinks for signs of moisture or water damage. If you see excess moisture or hear strange noises, it’s time to call in a professional leak detection company!
   
• In your refrigerator. Does your refrigerator have a water or ice dispenser? If so, this could be a spot for leaks to occur. It’s a good idea to check on the water dispenser every few months to make sure it is functioning properly. When you go to clean your fridge and move it away from the wall, take the opportunity to look for moisture on the wall or floor. Puddles or condensation could be a sign of a fridge leak.
   
• Water heaters. Your water heater works hard to supply hot water for your entire home. It’s entirely possible for water heaters to develop leaks due to normal wear and tear, as well as age. It’s easy to forget about water heaters because they do their jobs out of sight, but you should make a habit of checking them once every couple of months. Check to see that there are no leaks in the valves, pipes, or tank itself.
   
• Ceilings and walls. Your plumbing system runs throughout your entire home. This means that a busted pipe can cause leaks that drain water into the walls. If you see signs of water damage, contact a professional leak repair company right away! This damage can quickly get expensive to repair, so the sooner you address the issue, the better.
   
• Outdoor hoses. Leaks can also form on outdoor spigots. These leaks waste large amounts of water and can cause your water bill to spike up suddenly. Keep an eye on outdoor equipment and check frequently for leaks!

 

How To Check For Arizona Home Water Leaks In 5 Steps

Some leaks start out small, making them difficult to locate among the maze of pipes in your home’s plumbing system. If you have never dealt with a leak before, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Thankfully, there are a few ways to determine if you, in fact, have an Arizona home water leak. There is hardly anything more nerve-racking than a hidden problem in your home that is showing everywhere but the problem area itself. Fortunately, leak detection professionals have seen it all. Below is a guide of a few leak detection methods to help you determine where your leak might be coming from.

1. Check your water meter

The first step to finding a leak is to turn off all the water in your home. To do this, simply shut off all faucets and make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are not running. Then, go check your water meter. If you see an immediate change, it’s likely you have a fast-moving leak. If the water meter doesn’t change immediately, wait for 1 or 2 hours and take another meter reading (but make sure no water is running in the meantime). If the reading has changed, you most likely have a slow-moving leak.

*Side note: The difference between a fast-moving leak and a slow-moving leak is that a fast-moving leak has a quick onset and the typical damage it brings is surface damage. A slow-moving leak can take days, months, or even years to be seen and the typical damage is structural.
 

2. Determine if the leak is inside or outside

Next, you should determine whether the leak is inside or outside your home. Your home’s main shut-off valve is usually in the basement or garage directly behind an outdoor faucet. It may also be outside below an outdoor faucet. Again, make sure you are not using any water and check the leak indicator for movement or use the meter reading method.

If the leak indicator is moving or the meter readings aren’t changing, then your leak is somewhere inside the house. Alternatively, if the leak indicator is moving and there is a change in the meter readings, then the leak is outside between the meter and your house. This can be a tricky task, so we recommend calling in a professional to help you.
 

3. Monitor your bills

If you notice your water bill rising and your habits haven’t changed, a leak is likely to blame. It’s important to know that some of your pipes may be underground and it’s very challenging to detect leaks in this part of your system without proper equipment and trained ears. We recommended contacting a leak detection company to thoroughly inspect all of the pipes.
 

4. Check for mold and mildew

It’s especially important to be aware of foul smells or signs of mold in your ceilings, walls, on the back of cabinets, and under basins. Catching signs like these as early as possible can save you thousands of dollars. Plus, mold and mildew are hazardous to your health, so the sooner you remove them, the better. Consider having a leak detection company come out annually to protect your home and wallet.
 

5. Quick trick for toilet leaks

If you suspect the leak is coming from your toilet, there is a quick way to test it. Add a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. If the color appears in your bowl, you have a leak allowing water to flow from the tank to your drain without flushing. Call a plumber right away if this is the case!

 

Bonus Common Leak Detection Tricks

Flush Handle Problem

This is a common problem, so don’t be alarmed if you are experiencing it. If the toilet handle needs to be jiggled to stop the toilet from running, the flush level bar and chain may be sticking. Adjust the nut that secures it in the toilet tank. If this does not solve your problem, your handle may need to be replaced.
 

Leaking Faucet

Leaking faucets are fairly common in kitchens and bathrooms. These leaks are usually caused by a worn rubber washer located under the handle. Shut off the water under the sink or at the main shut-off valve. If you have the right tools, rubber washers are generally easy to replace.