Sustaining water damage from a leak is one of the greatest fears that a homeowner faces. You needn’t be anxious though.
By being vigilant, engaging in preventative maintenance and calling for help at the first sign of a leak, you can mitigate damage and reduce your stress.
Curious to learn more about water leak detection and prevention? Here is what you need to know.
What’s at Stake with a Water Leak?
While you may feel like it is a hassle to attend to a small water leak, rest assured you should never ignore it.
Not only is the water that you see causing damage right now, it could be the sign of a bigger problem that you can’t see.
Water damage is expensive to fix and can even threaten your home’s structural integrity.
Even more serious is what water damage can do to your family’s health.
Excessive moisture (like that presented from a water leak) promotes mold growth.
It is extremely dangerous to inhale mold spores, and it should not be taken lightly. It’s not worth the risk. Get leaks fixed upon discovery.
Water Leak Detection
You can identify a number of leaks with your eyes and your ears.
If you see moisture accumulating on pipes, damp spots on walls or the ceiing, pooling water or mold growth, there is a leak brewing somewhere.
You may also hear water running through the pipes despite you having turned everything off. Other signs of a leak include a spike in water bills and low water pressure.
Slab or foundation leaks are potentially very serious and are hard to get to because the piping is usually in your home’s foundation or the concrete slab that it sits on.
That’s why you’ve got to bring in the professionals with diagnostic tools and training to source the leak and fix it.
Preventative Maintenance Tips
It’s wise to try to avoid leaks at all by doing a little bit of preventative maintenance on ongoing basis.
Did you know that some of the most common leaks come from ruptured washing machine hoses?
People don’t think to check them or know that they require replacing every 5-7 years.
It’s smart to upgrade these hoses to braided stainless steel that are less likely to break.
Also, place your washing machine on a drip tray for an extra barrier or protection.
Another common spot for leaks is from your toilets. Check to see if any of these leaks are brewing by placing food coloring in the tank.
If it seeps in through to the bowl, you’ve got a leak (probably the flapper- an easy fix).
Always check faucets and pipes under sinks for moisture. Get your pipes cleaned and inspected on a regular basis.
Make sure that shower doors are closing tightly and that there aren’t leaks around tub tiles, which could be a sign of something behind the walls.