There are all kinds of plumbing leaks. Some can flood your home, while others are not nearly so damaging. There are a multitude of places in and around your home where a leaking pipes can occur. Some of them are easily noticeable like dripping faucets. However, most of the points where leaks happen are not as obvious, and because of this these leaks can be the reason major damage occurs before you even knew the leaks were there. To ensure that your home does not get caught with leaking pipes, you should check the possible problem areas about once a month. The most common places for leaking pipes to occur typically surround these following areas:
- Dishwasher – Inspect the baseboard and floor for warping
- Refrigerator – Inspect hose connection to ice-maker, and the connections
- Washing Machine – Examine hoses for cracks
- Sinks/Faucets – Feel pipes for wear and/or loose connections
- Water Heater – Examine for rust or soft areas on the outside of the tank, and under the tank for wet areas
- Bathtubs and Toilets – Search for soft areas in the floor, and inspect caulking and seals
Some additional warning signs that can clue you in to a possible leak include:
- Hearing the “toilet running” sound, except the toilet is not running.
- Musty smells that seem to be coming from the walls or floors.
- If the water bill starts increasing all of a sudden.
- Feeling warm spots on the floor.
If you are suspicious that you may have a leak, there is a simple way to discover if you do. Shut off everything in your home that uses water, then read the water meter. Look at the meter again in a few hours, and if the meter has moved, then there is a leak. If there is a leak in a plumbing pipe, odds are it is likely at a fitting. Pipe fittings are the conjoining parts of pipes. After a while, some swelling, shrinking, shifting and even unintentional bumping can make the fittings start to become loose. Which will cause leaking pipes.
If you think you may have a leak then schedule your plumbing repair when it is convenient for you with the Online Scheduler or call 502-271-1331.
