At a glance
- Topic
- Fifteen minutes with a flashlight
- Reading time
- About 2 min
- Phone
- (365) 363-2754
- Matching repair
- Leak Detection in Ajax
Why it matters
Hidden water rots subfloors, feeds mould and raises the bill from the Region. Many of the costly calls we answer in Ajax began as a slow weep nobody looked at for a year.
The routine, in order
- Meter first. With every tap, toilet and appliance idle, look at the meter's small leak indicator, often a little triangle or star. Spinning means water is leaving somewhere.
- Toilets. Listen for refills nobody asked for, and put dye in each tank once a season.
- Cabinets. Open every sink cabinet, run a hand along supply lines and the trap, and feel the cabinet floor for softness or swelling.
- Water heater. Look at the base, the fittings on top and the relief pipe outlet.
- Laundry. Check washer hoses for bulges and cracked rubber; braided steel lasts longer.
- Ceilings and walls. Scan below bathrooms for stains, bubbled paint or a ring.
- Fridge and dishwasher. Peek at the floor edges and the ice-maker line if you can.
Mistakes to avoid
- Painting over a ceiling stain without finding its source.
- Leaving rubber washer hoses in place past five years or so.
- Writing off a damp cabinet floor as a spill.
Local tip A cheap battery leak alarm beside the water heater, the washer and under the kitchen sink is worth more than its price the first time it chirps.
Where a plumber takes over
A spinning meter with no visible source, a stain that grows, or water under a slab. Our leak detection service finds the source before anything is opened.
Questions we hear on the phone
How do I find my water meter?
Usually downstairs, low on the foundation wall closest to the road, with the main valve a hand-span away.