Are You a New Homeowner? 3 Tell-Tale Signs There Is a Leak in Your Plumbing
As a new homeowner, one of the problems that you will have to contend with is water damage in the home. Water damage can be the result of floods, rain and problems with the plumbing. Often, it is plumbing issues that have gone undetected which end up causing water damage in the home. Homeowners should, therefore, ensure that their plumbing is in working condition at all times and that any signs of weakness or leakage are investigated before water damage happens to the home. Here are three of the most common indicators that there is a leak in your plumbing.
High Water Usage
Every household has a rough estimate of the number of cubic units of water they use every month. When the meter reading is done at the end of the month, the figures revolve around this figure. If you investigate the meter readings in your home and discover that they are beyond what you would classify as the normal range and you have not introduced an appliance or activity which could increase the bill, it is possible that you have a leak somewhere in the system.
Wet Patches on the Wall
The presence of wet patches on the wall, floor and other places where plumbing pipes pass through is an indication that a pipe is leaking or has burst. This is because when a pipe starts leaking, the water escapes and seeps into the surrounding wall. The more the water soaks into the wall, the larger the wet patch becomes. Only an experienced plumber can follow these wet patches to locate the broken pipe and fix it.
Musky Odours Inside the House
What usually happens with water damage is that the immediate environment becomes moist as the water accumulates and seeps into the wall. This encourages the growth of microorganisms such as fungi, and with time, mould and even moss can start to grow. Mould in particular has a characteristic smell which is easy to identify. The presence of mould in the home signals an advanced stage of water damage, and in addition to finding and repairing the broken plumbing, you will need an expert in mould remediation to fix the issue.
All these are problems which can be fixed, but you need to get a competent plumber to handle the repairs as soon as the damage happens. If you suspect that your house has a hidden leak in the plumbing, call in a plumber and have the leaks fixed before water damage results.
