By Kathrina Ysabel Pineda Temperature is rising and this would only mean an increase in our water consumption. While it is important to stay hydrated, we should also be mindful of the many ways we can save water.   There are countless ways to conserve water and one of them is to prevent leaks at home.  Remember, a small pipe leak can cause major problems.  If you are unsure if you have water leaks, check out these signs and ways to prevent them: 1.Check your meter — The most basic way to check on leaks is to monitor your water bill. If it is oddly higher than your usual bills and you do not recall consuming that much water, then that is the time to worry. To check, turn off all your faucets and showers, first, then see if the meter would change. A movement in the meter would indicate that you do have a leak in your home. 2.Look around — If you start cleaning around, and you see random puddles of water that appears to come out of nowhere, then you may want to have your water pipes checked. 3.Use food coloring — Now, this may sound odd but food coloring helps in determining if you have water leakage. You can use this trick for your toilet bowl. Drop some food coloring on your toilet tank and wait for 15 minutes. Once the water on your toilet bowl show color, then it means that your toilet bowl has a leak that goes down the drain even if you are not using the flush. 4.Clean up under your sink — Under the sink is usually where most water leaks occur. Try checking under your sink to spot if there are any drips from the pipes. 5.Strange or Noisy Water Pipes — If you hear unusual dripping or gushing sounds, you may have loose fittings or a ruptured water pipeline.  Immediately close the main water line and call a plumber.  Ruptured pipes may be caused by too much pressure or old age and it is best to replace them.