Plumbing · Leaks & Water Damage
Leaks and Water Damage — real answers.
Under-sink leaks, ceiling stains, mystery water on the floor.
All questions in this topic
How do I find a hidden water leak in my house?
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch the small red "leak indicator" dial on your water meter for 10–15 minutes. If it moves, you have flow somewhere with everything off — that's a leak. Isolate by shutting off the main to the house and the water heater; the meter tells you if it's on the incoming side or inside.
Why is there a brown stain on the ceiling under my bathroom?
A ring-shaped stain directly under a toilet is usually a failed wax ring — the seal between the toilet and the flange. A stain under the tub is usually the tub drain gasket or the overflow gasket. A stain along the wall is often a wall pipe. All three are fixable in half a day; ignoring them turns a $250 fix into a $4,000 subfloor replacement.