American Leak Detection Urges Homeowners to Check for Hidden Water Leaks During Fix-a-Leak Week

American Leak Detection
Published: February 16th, 2011

Leak Detection Tips Help Protect the Nation's Water Supply and Eliminate Unnecessary Water Bills

PALM SPRINGS, CA --(Marketwire - February 16, 2011) - Looking for ways to save money during the current recession? American Leak Detection has a suggestion: Check your home for "hidden" water leaks. In support of Fix-a-Leak Week, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) annual national awareness campaign, scheduled for March 15 to 21, American Leak Detection is encouraging homeowners to run some simple tests and make some basic repairs to help protect the future of our water supply. But, those same repairs can help you save money, too.

Fix-a-Leak Week is a time to check properties for plumbing, pool, fixture, and irrigation system leaks that can waste thousands of gallons of water and add hundreds of dollars to a home or building owner's water bill annually, according to Stan Berenbaum, president of American Leak Detection. For example, according to the EPA:

• A leaking toilet can waste up to 90,000 gallons of water in 30 days. At today's rates, that can add up to $500 to a single water bill.
• A single, pin-hole sized leak in a pipe or faucet fitting can waste almost 360,000 gallons of water in a year. If the hole is in a metal pipe, at 40 psi, water is lost at a rate of 2,500 gallons in just 24 hours.

"In addition to saving money on their water bills, homeowners need to consider the significant expense that they can incur to repair the damage caused by leaking water pipes," said Berenbaum. "Undetected leaks can cause your floors to buckle or allow mold to take hold. Homeowners who procrastinate about locating and correcting water leaks because they are worried about the expense frequently end up with a much more expensive repair after the leak has caused structural damage."

The EPA has some guidelines to help homeowners know when to suspect a hidden water leak.

• Check your water bill during the winter months. If your family of four is using more than 12,000 gallons of water per month, chances are you have a serious water leak and should call in a leak detection company like American Leak Detection.
• Run a water meter test. Pick a time when you will not use any water for a two-hour period, and jot down the readings on your water meter. Check the meter again at the end of the two-hour period. If the reading has changed, you probably have a leak. American Leak Detection says that you can eliminate common toilet tank leaks by shutting off the valves under all the toilets in your home or building, and then conducting the meter test again for at least 30 minutes. If the numbers on the meter don't change, you probably have a toilet leak. If they still change, even when the toilets have been shut off, then you may need a leak detection specialist to pinpoint the source of the leak.
• Conduct a dye test. If you suspect a toilet leak, place a couple of drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Do not flush the toilet for 15 minutes. If the color shows up in the toilet bowl, you have a leak. (Flush the toilet immediately at the end of this test to avoid staining the tank and bowl.)

"Anyone can run these simple tests to detect common water leaks in their home or business," said Berenbaum. "Repairing water leaks promptly makes sense, not only for your budget but for our water supply, too."

The trained technicians at American Leak Detection use state-of-the-art technology and equipment to detect leaks before they have a chance to impact your water bill or result in costly building repairs. The company specializes in providing the most non-invasive leak detection possible, to minimize disruption and expense in repairing even the most difficult leaks.

For more information about American Leak Detection, The Original Leak Specialists, please visit www.AmericanLeakDetection.com.

About American Leak Detection

Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Palm Springs, California, ALD is the world leader in the accurate, non-destructive detection of hidden water, sewer and other types of leaks. For the past nine years, ALD has been ranked #1 in Entrepreneur® magazine's "Maintenance Products and Services" franchise sector. In February 2008, The Wall Street Journal named ALD to its list of the top 25 high-performing franchises. ALD is dedicated to water conservation, resource protection and the providing of eco-friendly services.