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Leaks happen. It’s simply an inevitability of property ownership. Still, that doesn’t make them any less of a headache. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), residential water leaks are responsible for wasting more than 1 trillion gallons of water every year in the United States. Wasting water also means flushing money down the drain, which is why it’s critical to detect and fix leaks as soon as possible.

The best way to identify a leak is to check your utility bill, read your water meter, and then evaluate your property’s water sources. Without a smart water flow monitoring system, like WaterSignal, it can sometimes take a bit of effort to identify the cause of a leak. Here are some of the most common causes of plumbing leaks:

Running toilets

Toilets tend to be the most common culprit implicated in water leak situations. A running toilet can waste a full gallon of water in just 30 seconds! Luckily, toilet leak situations tend to be very easy to remedy by installing a replacement flapper or floater in the toilet’s water tank chamber.

Leaky fixtures

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a leaky faucet dripping at a rate of one drip per second can waste a staggering 3,000 gallons per year. Luckily, whether it’s a sink faucet or a showerhead, fixing a dripping faucet is actually pretty simple to accomplish on your own.

Rapid temperature changes

One of the most well-known causes of water leaks — especially in the winter — are pipes that burst after the water inside them begins to freeze and expand. The pipe eventually ruptures when that pressure becomes too much for it to contain. Prevent and repair frozen pipes on your property by following these recommendations.

Root intrusion

Even the most stringent water use best practices are no match for the strength of nature. Water pipe damage caused by tree root intrusion is one of the most destructive and expensive problems a property owner can come up against. How and why do roots make their way into the pipes? Because they’re thirsty! Even the smallest moisture leak in an underground pipe can entice plants to take root.

General wear and tear

Wear and tear on your property’s plumbing system is bound to happen over the years. This can include everything from damaged pipe joints and excessively high water pressure over an extended period of time to pipe corrosion caused by the chemical makeup of the water. Most of the time, these leaks can be fixed by simply tightening a joint, adjusting the water pressure to normal levels, or replacing the damaged section of pipe.

Be prepared whenever water leaks occur

WaterSignal detects leaks in real time and alerts you immediately so the situation can be resolved as soon as possible. Contact us today to learn more about monitoring your water meter in real time.