Do You Have a Leak in Your Home? These 5 Signs Will Tell You
Most homeowners notice immediately when toilets become clogged or water heaters break down, but not all plumbing problems are as obvious as those. Leaks often go undetected for days, weeks, or even months, wasting hundreds of gallons of water and causing untold damage before homeowners even notice it is occurring.If you have any doubts you should reach out to Protegrity Restoration (or a similar company) to conduct a thorough search of the property to ensure it is at a good standard. Read on to find out about five telltale signs that there’s a hidden leak somewhere in the home, that should have you searching for “plumbing services near me” to get fixed by a professional at the earliest opportunity!
Spikes in Water Bills
If the water bill is substantially higher than normal, chances are there’s a leak somewhere in or around the home. Homeowners should take their normal water usage and any alterations to their routines into account before panicking. It’s also a good idea to compare unusual bills to the same month from last year to see if the changes are due to seasonal alterations in water use patterns. Only after they’ve determined the bill doesn’t reflect the family’s actual water use should homeowners decide they need a plumber to find and fix the leak.
Visible Water Damage
Water damage can cause warping, bubbling, or staining on walls, ceilings, and even floors. This may seem like an obvious symptom of a hidden leak, but the reality is that water damage doesn’t always come from leaky pipes and fixtures. Aging roofs or siding and even excess humidity in the home can also cause water damage – should this be the case, you may wish to call someone like this Denver roofing company out to repair any weak spots in your roof. However, if there are no other obvious sources of water or humidity, it usually means there’s a water leak somewhere behind one of the walls or above the ceiling.
Musty Smells
Waterlogged floors, walls, and furnishings often produce a distinctive smell. Most of the time it’s because of hidden mold or mildew growth. Mold and mildew thrive in damp, dark environments, so they’re common in homes with leaky pipes.
Like visible water damage, musty smells aren’t a surefire sign of a leaky pipe. They are a sure sign that of standing water or water saturation, though. Mold and mildew can cause potentially serious health issues if left unchecked, so it’s never wise to ignore them; instead, you should bring someone like this service offering mold remediation in Somerville, MA out as soon as possible to get the mold removed so that you can then fix the water damage.
Water Meter Test
Water meters are designed to measure the household’s water use in real-time. The meter shouldn’t be moving if no one is using the sinks, showers, toilets, or water-using appliances in the home. Check out this video on how to use a water meter to determine if there is a leak in the home and call a plumber to find it if there is.
Foundation Cracks
If left unchecked, leaks can eventually cause foundation damage. After the water seeps out of the pipes or fixtures, it has to go somewhere. Check the home’s foundation to see if new cracks have suddenly begun to appear.
Just about all homes have a few cracks in their foundations due to settling. However, the sudden appearance of multiple new cracks with no other explanation often points to water leaks either from the roof, siding or, in most cases, the plumbing.
The Bottom Line
It’s never wise to let a leaky pipe go unaddressed for any longer than necessary. Even minor leaks can add up to substantial water bills and even more substantial water damage repair bills. Homeowners don’t need to find the leaks themselves. If they’re relatively certain there is a leak in one of the pipes, the best thing to do is to call a plumber to track it down and fix it.