Did you know a leak as small as the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallons of water per year – that’s enough water to take one bath a day for 33 years straight! Unfortunately, leaks (most of which are larger than the size of a pinhead) are everywhere. Approximately 1 in every 20 swimming pools and 1 in every 300 homes or buildings is leaking right now.

These are just some of the eye-opening leak statistics important for residents, merchants and municipalities to be aware as water becomes a more precious commodity. Meeting our water needs for a growing population with a limited supply of water is an increasing challenge. Water districts across the country are asking people to cut their water usage by 10 percent. Some counties are imposing mandatory water rationing.

As residents become more mindful of water usage and responsive to water conservation mandates, awareness of wasteful water leaks is more important than ever. Conservation efforts are less effective, and sometimes completely futile, if there are water leaks.

Symptoms of water leaks are often apparent once you know what to check. For example, if you can hear the continuous sound of water (like a toilet running) when nothing is turned on – you may have a leak. You may have a leak if your walls or floors have moist or discolored areas when nothing has been spilled. The presence of warm spots on your floor, particularly on concrete slab floors, may indicate a leak.

Leaks may also be present if you can smell foul odors coming from floors or walls near drains or sewers. Leaks may also be present where there are cracks in the building foundation or where there is uneven vegetation growth.

If you believe you have a leak, but are not sure, check your water meter. If you notice changes in your water meter reading when you are not even using any water, mark the indicator on your meter, don’t use any water for an hour, and then check the meter again. If the indicator has moved, you probably have a leak.

Check and review your water bill. A typical toilet leak at today’s rate can add $500 to a single water bill. If your bill has escalated over a period of weeks or months for no apparent reason, a leak is probable. Not only will water conservation efforts improve if leaks are detected and stopped, water bills will be reduced.

American Leak Detection encourages residents and businesses to be mindful of leak detection because it’s a critical component in our water conservation efforts. As we become more eco-aware and more conscious of our fragile environment, everyone can be “leak savvy” and watchful for signs and symptoms of water leaks. Let’s find those leaks and conserve water, our most precious resource.

For more information about signs and symptoms of water leaks, and other water conservation tips, please go to www.americanleakdetection.com.

Stan Berenbaum

CEO and President of
American Leak Detection