Being alert to leaky pipes in your home is essential to prevent serious and costly damage. The harm can go far beyond a higher water bill. Hidden leaks can trigger mold growth, rot wood, ruin floors and furniture, destroy drywall and more. Catching leaks early protects your home and prevents the need for extensive repairs. Here’s how you can spot pipe leaks before they turn into a full-blown disaster.
Pay Attention to These Subtle Signs of Leaks
A leak from a faucet is obvious. Many leaks are not so easy to spot, so you have to be alert to these more subtle signs.
- Higher Water Bills: Same number of people in the home, no changes of water usage, but higher bills could indicate a hidden leak. The leak could be in a wall, in the yard or under a floor.
- Low Water Pressure: If a leak is letting water escape from your system, you could see a sudden drop in water pressure.
- Stained or Warped Walls, Floors, or Ceilings: Water behind walls or above ceilings often leaves signs like brown stains, soft spots, mold growth or bubbling paint.
- Musty or Mildewy Odors: Persistent damp smells can indicate mold or mildew, both of which thrive on hidden moisture.
- Sounds of Running Water: You should not hear water running when all faucets are closed and appliances are off. If you do, there could be a leak behind the wall or under the floor.
- Visible Mold Growth: There shouldn’t be mold under sinks, around baseboards, or on ceilings. If you see mold, you need to look further immediately.
Why Leaky Pipes Deserve Your Attention
A single dripping faucet can waste hundreds of gallons of water per year. A pipe leaking behind a wall or under a floor can cost you vastly more. In addition to disintegrated drywall and warped floors, the dampness attracts termites, ants, and other pests. Mold loves damp or wet areas and can cause serious health problems, particularly for people with allergies or respiratory conditions.
When leaks continue for a long time, the financial impacts can be staggering. Water bills may double or triple, and repairs can reach many thousands of dollars. Therefore, don’t overlook any signs of leaks.
What Can Cause Leaky Pipes?
Like anything else, pipes age and can break or begin to leak. Here are some of the specific causes of leaking pipes.
- Corrosion: Older metal pipes will corrode over time, especially if water is acidic or high in minerals.
- High Water Pressure: Too much water pressure stresses pipe joints and leads to cracks or burst pipes.
- Clogs: Blocked plumbing increases pressure in certain parts of the system, making leaks more likely.
- Shifting or Settling: Homes naturally shift over time, and this can pull on plumbing joints and cause leaks.
- Poor Installation or Repairs: Work done by inexperienced DIYers or careless contractors can create weak points that eventually give way.
- Freezing: In our Albuquerque homes and nearby mountains, freezing is a possibility. Be sure to leave the undersink cabinets open and water running a trickle if it’s due to freeze. It’s also smart to insulate water pipes.
Ways to Prevent Future Leak Problems
It’s not hard to prevent damaging leaks, but it requires regular maintenance and alertness. Here are some steps you can take to keep your home dry and undamaged.
- Monitor Your Water Meter: Do you think you might have a leak or just want to check? Turn off all water in your home. Look at your water meter. If there is a small symbol that continues to move or spin, you have a leak.
- Install Leak Detectors: Smart home technology now includes leak sensors that alert your phone the moment they detect moisture. Place them under sinks, behind toilets, and near appliances.
- Use a Smartphone to Monitor Water Use: A smart water monitoring system will detect unusual behavior like a continuous trickle or pressure change. You’ll get an alert on your phone.
- Inspect Pipes Regularly: Do this yourself. Look at all the plumbing that’s visible under sinks, in basements or in crawl spaces. Check for moisture, rust, or corrosion.
- Check Water Pressure: If you have a water pressure gauge, check the pressure in your home. If it’s consistently above 80 psi, you may need a pressure regulator.
- Get an Annual Plumbing Inspection Done: At Rocketman Plumbing, we have the tools to inspect areas you can’t see and detect leaks that aren’t visible.
What to Do if You Find or Suspect a Leak
As soon as you suspect or find a leak, act fast. Shutting off the main water supply can prevent further damage. Then, in the Albuquerque area, call Rocketman Plumbing and we’ll send a skilled tech to your house, fast. Until they get there, document any damage with photos so you can file a homeowner’s insurance claim. Our trained and insured technicians can have your plumbing system back in good shape as soon as possible. Call us at (505)-243-1227 seven days a week.