Before fixing any leaks, you must find them first. The most common place for water leaks and wasted money are almost always found in the bathroom. Make sure to check your bathtub faucet and a shower-head for drips.  A leaking shower wastes more than 500 gallons per year!  The biggest water waster in most homes is a running, leaking toilet. When a small part inside, called the flapper, gets worn out, it can make your toilet to run. If not fixed soon, over time, this leak will waste a lot of water in your home and consequently your money as well.

Next place to check for leaks would be the kitchen. Make sure that the kitchen faucet and everything around it, including all the knobs are not leaking water after you turn them off. Leaky faucets are the most common water wasters that you must keep your eye on.  One drip per second equals 3,000 gallons per year!  You can use Water Drip Calculator to find out how much water does a leaking faucet wastes.  Be sure to check the pipes, P-trap, and all the plumbing underneath the sink as well. The other location in the kitchen to check for any leaks would be your dishwasher. Look underneath the dishwasher to see if there is any water pooled after it has been used. Use a paper towel to wipe it underneath and check for any wetness.

Another appliance that might be leaking could be your washer machine. A small leak in the washer machine is bad news. Washer leak can easily turn into a big one very fast. Make sure to check your washer machine all the way around for any water leaks especially coming from the hoses and other connective plumbing. It may not be a bad idea to pull the washer machine away from the wall. It will allow you to get a really good look at all the plumbing and hoses to make sure there are no leaks.

The next thing on our Water Leak Trouble Shooting List is the water heater. You will want to check all of the plumbing and electrical connections to the water heater to make sure there are no leaks. Make sure your water heater is not rusted, especially on the bottom and there is no water anywhere on the unit. If you find any water stains, or rust, especially at the bottom of the unit, this can very much indicate that your water heater tank is failing and must be replaced. Failing water heater can cause a lot of costly damage to your home. If you suspect this is the case in your situation call Baikal professional right away to take care of this problem before it will turn into a disaster. Changing water heater tank is not for a novice beginner, nor you want to learn from your mistakes by trying to replacing it yourself. So call a plumber you can trust!

Now we are ready to go outside and check our water spigots for any leakage. You must check the handle and nozzle to see if there are any water leaks or dripping. You must also check the rubber gasket located inside the hose as well as sprayer connectors. You might find that the rubber gasket is old or worn out and must be replaced. Old rubber gaskets are unable to hold the water and allow a lot of water leaks. You must replace these gaskets regularly to prevent the leaks. Leaving the spigot on during the summer is not a good idea. Make sure it is tightly turned off when you are not using it.

Most of the small leaks like toilet flappers, faucets, and sinks, you can probably fix yourself. However, if you’re in over your head, call Baikal Services® licensed plumbers at (206) 799-3035 or fill out our online schedule a quote form to make your home water leak free.