Water leaks can be deceptively difficult problems. Because a pipe leak can occur almost anywhere on a water system, a homeowner or renter may feel overwhelmed when dealing with the realities of a leaking water system. And because water usage gets calculated with the monthly water bill, even a small leak can prove to be very expensive over a given period of time.
But before anxiety takes hold, here are some basic steps to take when dealing with leaking pipes.
Finding The Leak
Regardless of how an individual wishes to handle a leaking pipe, the first step in dealing with the problem rests with locating the source of the water leak. In some cases, this can be fairly simple. Checking for water damage in and around the area of the leak can be a simple matter of finding water damage on the surrounding areas.
See more after the jump:
In many cases, interior leaks will give away their position by means of water damage to drywall and wooded areas. Depending on the severity of the leak in question, the leaking water can pool and start to drip down through ceiling tiles, often in multiple spots. Simple leak problems also depend on the location of the leak itself. If the hallway has water damage from a leak in the ceiling, the homeowner or renter should have little problem locating the source of the leak thanks to the lack of extra walls or interior obstacles; simply look up, and the water damage will be visible.
Simple Fixes
As stated above, most easy-to-correct leak problems depend on user accessibility. If the toilet bowl has a leak due to a bad stopper ring or a bathtub leaks due to eroded sealant, the ability for either the owner or a professional to access the problem area can greatly decrease the challenge of proper repair.
Locate the line running from the house/apartment to the shutoff valve on the water meter and learn how to operate it. If an owner can do this, they can better find the source of a leak and, should a professional plumber’s services be needed, they can turn off the water to assist them while halting the loss of any further water to the leaky pipes.
For outdoor leaks, shut off the water valve and search for signs of water seepage, such as wet earth or pooling areas where none should be.
Harder Leaks
Bear in mind that plumbing leaks can occur at any location in a building. Even by using the techniques described, a leak can still be difficult to locate. The primary rule for locating a leak should be for a homeowner/renter to be as thorough in their search for the leak as they can be.
And even if the owner/renter cannot locate the leak, they should not be discouraged. Without an exact knowledge of the building’s interior layout, the owner/renter can very quickly find themselves stranded in their own home, unsure of where to go next. Should a leak prove difficult to locate, contact a plumbing professional, such as Hilton Plumbing.
Images from: Modern House in Ptuj by AB Objekt
