Running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks can waste, on average, over 10,000 gallons of water every year in one American home. Nationwide, that’s about 1 trillion gallons of water leaking from American homes annually. So, the City of Brighton requests residents to check plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems annually during Fix a Leak Week, which is March 12-18.

 Some Tips for Finding Leaks in Your Home:

• Identify toilet leaks: If you hear the toilet filling on its own, commonly called “ghost filling”, the toilet is leaking. You can use a flashlight to look inside the bowl and see if there is movement at the water’s edge, which represents a leak. Or, you can place one drop of food coloring into the tank and if the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes, there is a leak at the flush valve. 
• During cold seasons, when watering landscaping is not a factor, check your water usage. A family of five should not exceed 15,000 gallons per month. If an average of 3,000 gallons per person, per month is exceeded, there may be significant leaks.
• Visually inspect pipe fittings and faucet gaskets for water on the outside of the pipe to check for leaks.
• If you have access to your water meter, check in before and after a two hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, it indicates possible leaks, and should be further investigated.

If you suspect you might have leaks in your home or business, give us a call today. We are proudly offering Brighton residents free leak inspections through the month of March! (720) 341-8781