Tricks of the Trade: How to Spot
Leaky Plumbing Early to Save Cash

A small water leak is like a snowball rolling down a hill, says Ed Del Grande, a plumber with more than 25 years of experience. The longer you leave it alone, the more it will drip and eventually it will become an emergency.

He says his city water meter can help reveal hidden leaks. The meter has a visible wheel that moves and measures every drop that goes through the system. So Mr. Del Grande turns off everything in his house that uses water and then checks if the wheel is moving. Ideally, the wheel stops. If it's still moving, there's a leak. The most common culprits: toilets.

To keep his drains in shape, he plunges them every few months, more often if they become slow. For washing machines, he recommends upgrading rubber hoses to ones wrapped in stainless steel. He always turns off the water to the washing machine when he goes on vacation as the water damage from a burst hose could be major.

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