Finding and Fixing Leaks
How to Spot a Leak
Water leaks can cause increased water bills and significant damage in your home if they are not detected and repaired in a timely manner. Water stains on the floors, ceilings, or walls can point to problematic areas, but most leaks are not easily visible. To look for potential leaks in these hidden areas, there are a few checks you can easily do at home:
- To spot a toilet leak, place 8-10 drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Do not flush and set a timer for 10-15 minutes. If you see any color in the toilet bowl when your timer goes off, it’s a sign of a leak. Make sure to flush the food coloring away after your test!
- Check your toilet tank levels and listen for running water in the bathroom. The water tank level should be about an inch below the top of the overflow tube. A high water level could cause water to overflow into the toilet bowl and increase water usage over time.
- Visually examine pipe fittings and faucets. Water on the outside of the pipe is a sign of a leak. Be sure to check indoor and outdoor water sources, including showers, washing machine hookups, dishwashers, hose spigots, swamp coolers, and water feature lines.
- Listen for water flowing at your shut off valve.
- When you turn your irrigation system on at the start of the summer, turn on each sprinkler zone and look for swampy areas or sprinkler heads that don’t pop up. Look for drips at the backflow preventer and inside valve boxes and system end caps. Check for broken or missing parts in all locations.
Thornton Water will mail you free toilet dye tablets to test your toilets. Email water@thorntonwater.com to request.
For more tips and tricks on spotting leaks, check out the Hidden Water Waste DeMistified video for a breakdown of how to find leaky culprits.
Monitoring Your Water Use With WaterSmart
In addition to checking for leaks throughout your home, as a Thornton water customer, you can also use the WaterSmart platform to track your water use over time. Through this online portal, you can monitor data and patterns in your water use, get help checking for leaks, compare your usage to similar properties, set leak alerts and learn about water efficiency rebates and services.
At this time, the WaterSmart portal displays usage in GPD (Gallons Per Day). This is an average of your monthly water consumption measured at the water meter divided by the days in the billing period. Thornton bills in 1,000 gallon units while the WaterSmart portal shows your usage in average GPD, or gallons per day. Many people find it easier to understand gallons per day, which is a calculated value. For example, there may be 31 days in billing period and the metered usage may be measured at 4,000 gallons. Customers can divide 4,000/31 to identify an average of 129 gallons per day.
In the future, when Thornton’s AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) project is complete, you will be able to view actual measured daily water usage in the portal. This data is estimated to be available by the end of 2025.
The “Track” tab shows an overview of your monthly water use and seasonal and long-term use by hovering over each data point. It also shows your end-use estimates and breaks down your usage between irrigation, washing machines, toilets, faucets, etc. This information can help you understand your water use habits and highlight unusual spikes in water usage to assist you in spotting a possible leak.
If your winter water use is low (1 – 2,000 gallons per month), we recommend setting your high usage notification at 3x.
In the “Settings” tab, you can customize alerts from WaterSmart to alert you about high usage increases from your average use, send you a quarterly water report and notices from the city of Thornton. While we recommend frequently visiting the WaterSmart page to familiarize yourself with your water use, the alerts are a great tool to keep you updated on sudden or unusual changes in your water use.
Fixing Leaks Yourself
While no one wants to find a leak, they are often simple to fix after a quick trip to the hardware store.
Indoor Leaks
One of the most common household leaks is from the toilet. A toilet flapper, or valve seal, seals the opening between the tank and the toilet bowl. When the toilet is flushed, the rubber seal lifts, allowing water to fill the bowl. Over time, the rubber may wear out, preventing proper sealing. Check out this video for step-by-step instructions on how to replace this piece.
Another toilet part that can malfunction is the flush valve. When this isn’t working properly the water level in the toilet will be too high and water will leak into the overflow tube. You can purchase replacement flush valves for a reasonable price at any hardware store.
When fixing a leak yourself, remember to turn off your water valve before you begin!
If you have to replace a toilet, check out the Toilet Rebate information on the Residential and Commercial rebates page.
Showerheads are also a common source of household leaks. Sometimes, this is as simple as checking the connection between the showerhead and the pipe and ensuring the connection isn’t loose. If there is a tight connection and you still notice a leak, you can use pipe tape to secure the connection. Pipe tape is available at most hardware stores and is a great tool to help control leaks. While you check your showerhead for a leak, note the state of the washer inside the showerhead; if it is worn out, it may need to be replaced to help prevent future leaks!
Similarly, a worn-out washer is often the culprit for a leaky faucet. When fixing a leaky faucet yourself, check to see if the washer inside the faucet is worn out or loose. Sometimes, this can be caused by corrosion and is easily repairable with a faucet repair kit from your local hardware store.
Outdoor Leaks
Aside from irrigation, outdoor leaks may come from your garden hose or spigot. Like a showerhead, start by checking the connection of the hose to the spigot. An easy fix for a loose connection is replacing the hose washer to create a tight connection and adding pipe tape to enforce the seal. To help prevent this, don’t leave your spigot on with the water charged in the hose. The constant pressure can wear out your hose, causing holes in the hose and leaks. Always turn off the spigot when you are done using your hose.
If you notice a leak that may be more difficult to repair, like within your irrigation system, it may be best to hire a professional to assist you with the repair or research on YouTube how to fix common sprinkler system leaks if you are a do-it-yourself-er. When finding a plumber to help you with a leak, keep an eye out for these qualities and traits so you can get the best support in fixing your leak:
- Make sure that the plumber you hire is licensed and insured.
- Note the industry experience of the plumber and if the plumbing company is well-established and has a well-known reputation.
- Ask for a written estimate. A good plumber will often give an estimate after assessing the leak at your home and before completing any work.
- Check reviews and references for the plumber and plumbing company and get at least 3 quotes. You can access many customer reviews through a quick internet search so you can make sure you hire the plumber that is right for you.
Fixing a leak may be as easy as tightening a valve or more complicated, requiring additional help from a plumber or irrigation expert, but no matter what, it will be worth the effort. Leaks in an average home can account for 10,000 gallons of water wasted in a single year and risk costly damages to your home. If you notice a leak, repair it quickly to minimize wasted money and water in the long run.
Still have questions about household leaks? Contact Water Resources at 720-977-6600 or email water@thorntonwater.com.
For questions about your bill contact Utility Billing at 303-538-7370 or go to gocot.net/Billing.
For additional resources, see the Contact Us page on our website.
