What Are the Precautions to Take When Discovering a Leak in My Home?
Water damage from broken or leaking pipes and clogged drains is the primary cause of water damage in the home. Drains, faucets, sinks, toilets and hot water heaters are all vital components of a home plumbing system and are often taken for granted, until something breaks. We can help with our plumbing services.
Precautions to Take When Discovering a Leaking Water Pipe
No matter how old your home is, regular attention to your plumbing system is crucial to prevent water damage. It is important to take immediate action when discovering a leak, no matter how small the leak is, as a minor drip can quickly turn into a major leak, and a flood.
Things to watch out for include dripping water from lose or worn fitting, clogged drains and deteriorating washing machine connections. Also, plumbing experts strongly recommend against using harsh commercial drain cleaning chemicals, which can often have a corrosive effect on plumbing if overused.
During cold weather a frozen plumbing pipe can cause leaks, but it doesn’t have to turn into a disaster. However, damage can occur if the pipes are inappropriately thawed with a blow torch, which can weaken soldered joints and cause a full-scale break in the water line.
Additionally, danger from using a blow torch can arise if heat is applied to the center pipe when both ends of the pipe are clogged with ice. The incorrect application of the heat at the center of the pipe can cause the water to vaporize into steam and potentially cause an explosion. Therefore, a frozen water pipe is a situation best left to a professional.
Why is it Important to Fix a Leak as Soon as Possible?
Leaks from pipes, fixtures and fittings are a substantial source of water waste in many households. Research shows that just one typical small water leak will waste anywhere between 2,000 and 20,000 gallons of water over the course of a year.
While some leaks will be obvious, leaks in less visible or seldom used spaces can go undetected for several years.
A broken pipe can result in a flood in a matter of minutes, so if you should find a leak in your plumbing system make sure you shut off the water supply and call a plumbing expert at once. Residential water systems are usually under extremely high pressure and leaks require immediate attention so as not to progress into a more serious problem.
Serving your Tacoma community everyday. For leak detection assistance, Call All Purpose Plumbing at (253) 473-5100 today for reliable plumbing services.