Where is that drip coming from? Find it quickly with these tips.

There are few things more annoying to a homeowner than to suspect you have a plumbing leak somewhere in your home and not be able to pinpoint the exact location.

Not only can a leak cost you money on your utility bills, it may be creating more damage as water seeps into the walls and crevices of your home.

Your Brooklyn plumbing experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning have some tips to help you locate that annoying and potentially expensive leak:

Check your meter

If you suspect you have a leak but aren’t positive, one way to find out is to check your utility bill. If you haven’t been doing more watering or filling up a pool but your bill reflects more water use than usual, chances are you have a leak. You can also turn off all the water in your home and monitor the physical meter. If you see it moving, then you may have a leak.

Inspect your water heater

Survey your water heater’s surroundings to see if you see any moisture present and listen for hissing sounds within the drain. That noise lets you know there is a leak present.

Check for running toilets

If your toilet runs when it hasn’t been flushed recently, you may need to replace the rubber flapper inside the tank. Another way to check to see if your toilet is leaking is to drop some food coloring in the tank and see if it shows up in the bowl without flushing.

Inspect all the faucets

Make sure all your faucets are dry from the showerheads to the kitchen sink. If you see dripping when they haven’t been in use recently, you may need to replace the washer or even upgrade the faucet.

Call a professional

If you’ve done all of the above and still cannot locate the source of your leak, it could be a broken pipe from deep within the home. At this point, a plumber is your best bet. Professionals have a variety of tools they can use to locate hidden leaks within your system and provide you with the best options for repair.

If you see standing water or if your leak is severe, don’t hesitate to call in an expert immediately. Putting off a water leak repair can cost you thousands in additional damages. Smaller water leaks can promote mold and mildew growth within your home and larger leaks can flood your home, destroy your furniture and crack your walls and floors.

No matter what your plumbing needs, Petri can help. We also offer 24-hour emergency service seven days a week. Give us a call at (718) 748-1254 to schedule a service call.