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| Video |
Get step-by-step instructions to help you find leaks in your home. (16:00)
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Leaks are the silent water wasters inside and outside our homes.
A dripping faucet or constantly running toilet is fairly obvious,
but hidden leaks—such as those in an irrigation system—could
waste more than 100 gallons of water per day.
Catch leaks before they grow
Finding a leak is the process of elimination. Perform the following
tests to find leaks at your home.
Make sure no water is being used inside
or out
Also shut off automatic pool filters, sink faucets, washers
and dishwashers.
Locate your water meter
About 90 percent of all area residential water
meters are located in the front sidewalk. The first step is
to check your water meter for movement.
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| Find the source of leaks
by turning off one fixture at a time and checking your meter. |
Look at the top of the meter.
You'll notice a red triangle called a flow indicator. It'll move
whenever water is passing through it. If your meter doesn't have
a flow indicator, you can use the sweep hand on the register to
indicate water loss. If either the flow indicator or the sweep hand
is moving, you may have a leak.
Check your toilets
Shut off one toilet at a time at the wall.
In between each shutoff, go out to the water meter and check your
flow indicator. If the small, red flow-indicator triangle is moving,
that toilet is not the problem. Something else is causing a leak.
If the small triangle stopped moving, that means that toilet is
the culprit. For more information on how to find and fix toilet leaks, visit the SNWA Web site.
Check your sprinkler system
Shut off the anti-siphon valve that
serves your sprinkler system. Check the red flow indicator triangle
at the water meter. If the flow indicator stopped moving, the sprinkler
system is the problem.
Check your water softener
Most softeners have a bypass lever. Turn the
lever to allow water to bypass the softener. Check the red triangle
at the meter. If the triangle is no longer moving, you have isolated
the leak to your softener. (You also can check for leaking swamp
coolers, water-cooled air conditioners, ice machines and reverse
osmosis units by turning the bypass lever on each and checking the
meter.)
Check your main service line
If you still haven't found the problem, try
checking the main service line:
Find the water shutoff valve to your home. It will
be either in your front yard, in your garage, or near your water
softener. Shut off this valve, which will turn off all water to
your home. Turn on a faucet to make sure there is no water flowing
inside the home, then check the meter. If it's still moving, the
leak is most likely between the shutoff valve and the water meter.
If you've found your leak, you may be able to fix
it yourself. Repairs to toilets and faucets can be fairly simple,
while other leaks may need a professional plumber. Don't get in
over your head. If you're not sure that you can fix it, call a professional.
Let us help
If you haven't found your leak, or want to verify your results,
call us at (702) 870-4194 or call the Conservation
Helpline at 258-SAVE.
For more conservation tips visit the SNWA Web site. |
