Leaks that remain undiscovered can lead to thousands of dollars in water damage each year for American homeowners. However, most leaks begin as small, easily-treatable problems with tell-tale warning signs that are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Learn the common early indicators of a plumbing leak in your home to save money on repair bills and keep unwanted water from seeping into your basement and walls.
Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter, a professional plumbing services company, deals with the results of unattended leaks every day. Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter professionals know from experience that the most expensive water damage comes from leaks that homeowners ignore for too long. If you learn the warning signs of plumbing leaks early, you can significantly reduce your repair costs and the extent of damage from leaks.
How to Spot a Plumbing Leak
The more familiar you are with the warning signs of plumbing leaks, the better prepared you are to protect your home, your belongings and your wallet from water damage. These warning signs are often easy to recognize and act on, but may start out small and unassuming. Over time, the signs may become more pronounced and obvious, but in many cases, you may catch these tell-tale signs of a leak early.
Visual Signs of Plumbing Leaks
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When you know where to look, the very surfaces of your home can tell you when you have a hidden plumbing leak. Visually obvious water stains on walls, ceilings, floors, or other surfaces are one of the clearest signs of a leak. Stains that appear brown, yellow, rust, or that have irregular patches that increase in size over time all signal leaks.
Water damage can also be indicated by paint or wallpaper bubbles, cracks, and peeling around problem areas. Wallpaper may also bubble, peel, or have wet or warped patches near leak sources. Visual water stains or damage that appear around plumbing fixtures, along pipes, or where water lines run through walls are particularly strong indicators of leaks.
Changes in Water Pressure and Flow
Decreased water pressure in multiple plumbing fixtures around the house can be another sign of plumbing problems that need professional attention. A reduction in available water pressure that affects your entire home often points to a hidden leak that is draining water from your system and away from your faucets and shower heads.
Inconsistent water flow from an individual fixture can be another indicator of supply line issues. A faucet or shower that suddenly sputters, drips, or otherwise flows erratically, or one that exhibits a sudden shift in water pressure, may be supplied with water from a leaky line that needs repair.
Pressure changes are often a slow and gradual process, so small leaks may cause water pressure changes over time that homeowners don’t immediately recognize. Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter professionals point out that these gradual changes are often the precursor to more serious leaks that lead to extensive damage if they go unrepaired for too long.
Odors and Smells
Odors and smells that seem to come from nowhere may also point to plumbing leaks. A musty, moldy smell in your home often means that moisture from a hidden leak is building up somewhere inside your home. Leaked water that is unable to dry in an open and well-ventilated area may collect and encourage mold growth that is not only bad for your home’s structure, but may also be harmful to your family’s health.
Odors that smell like sewage or waste also point to plumbing problems that should be treated right away. Sewage odors may indicate leaks in your home’s waste lines or drain pipes that may cause serious water contamination and health issues in your home. Unlike leaks in supply lines that waste clean water, drain and waste line leaks pose other threats to your home.
Metallic or mineral odors, for example, may occur when old metal pipes corrode and leak both water and dissolved metal materials into your home. These types of leaks can also cause staining, which is another clear indicator of plumbing issues.
Any persistent smell of dampness or humidity in certain parts of your home, despite the rest of your home’s air being dry and comfortable, may also point to localized leaks that need attention. Damp smells may also be more noticeable during humid weather when leaked moisture has a harder time drying out.
Water Bills
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Examining your water bill each month can also help you to notice subtle changes that could point to water leaks in your home. If you review your water bill each month, compare your most recent usage amounts to your historical average for the same time period to see if the usage increased for no clear reason. This can indicate hidden leaks in your home’s plumbing system.
Your water meter is also a tool for detecting leaks that can help you find out where you may have leaks in your home. Check your meter when no water is being used in your home, and return after a few hours to see if any water has been used. If your meter has changed, you know there is a leak somewhere in your system.
Acting on Warning Signs
Identifying the early signs of a potential plumbing leak is the first step, but taking action to address the issue before serious damage occurs is key. Document and record all of the signs you notice about the leak, including when it was first noticed and photos if you can, so that plumbers have as much information as possible about your situation.
Call a professional plumbing service like Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter when you first become aware of a potential leak. Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter and other professional plumbers have specialized equipment that can precisely locate plumbing leaks without any invasive methods that cause additional damage.
In the meantime, do what you can to prevent potential damage, like moving furniture and belongings away from areas where leaks are suspected or increasing ventilation in an area where water stains or moisture may be building up.
Protecting your Home
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Detecting leaks and addressing them early is a proactive process that can help you to save money and prevent extensive water damage to your home. Regularly inspect your home’s plumbing areas to watch for problems as they happen. Check around your fixtures and pipes, as well as in your basement and crawl space.
You can also have your entire plumbing system professionally evaluated and inspected. Electric Drain & Sewer Rooter and other professional plumbers can conduct comprehensive home plumbing inspections that provide a detailed look at your system, uncover potential weak points, and recommend measures you can take to avoid or address problems before they happen. Call (801) 266-8041 today!
The money you spend on early detection and professional inspections is money well-spent to avoid water damage costs that are often far higher than the cost of plumbing repairs. Your efforts to be on the lookout for leaks early on help you to protect your home and family for years to come.
