Many homeowners unnecessarily lose gallons upon gallons of water due to a plumbing leak that goes undetected for longer periods of time. Understandably, these are hard to diagnose without the appropriate plumbing knowledge, so here are 5 revealing symptoms that point to a plumbing leak in your home:
1. Increased bill
If your bill skyrockets to enormous heights without a rhyme or reason, this is a good time to start worrying. However, not all increases are to be treated equally; in fact, it’s normal for the water bill to go up during summer, at least in some instances. But in any case, something that is extremely out of the ordinary is a telltale sign for sure.
2. Damaged ceiling
Damage in the form of bubbles forming or warping indicates a leak somewhere in the vicinity. The same thing applies to flooring; if something is off (maybe something sticks out, is cracked, or doesn’t align the way it should), then you may have a case of water leakage.
3. Strange smell
Sometimes, there may be a funny smell in your home even after you’ve vacuumed it, cleaned it, and let some fresh air in. If you can’t get rid of it even after checking every possible thing and taking drastic measures, then you may be facing a case of a plumbing leak in your home. It’s a very peculiar smell that’s hard to miss – both persistent and musky.
4. Mold
When water leaks, it creates a favorable environment for mold to grow. Some people may think you can get rid of it by simply scrubbing the affected surfaces, but this is incorrect. Surfaces near places where water is being thrown around in a natural manner like sinks and showers, however, are a bit more problematic to diagnose correctly. But if you see mold in other places, a plumbing leak is definitely a possibility to consider.
Mold is not only a thing of aesthetics; it’s something that can have drastic consequences on your health if not sanitized in a timely manner. That’s why you should never wait around to remove it, ideally, this should be immediately upon spotting it.
5. Running meter
Try shutting of all running water in your house and take a look at the water meter. If it’s still ticking, you more than likely have a plumbing leak somewhere in your home. Another helpful sign is to listen for any unusual water signs that shouldn’t be there normally. However, this may require the trained ear of a plumber, mostly due to regular people having an insufficient amount of experience when it comes to diagnosing plumbing problems.
Conclusion
These 5 signs should be enough to raise your suspicions if something is up that needs the attention of a plumber. Please bear in mind that none of these signs guarantee anything; they’re only meant to be used as individual indicators. The more of them you notice, the higher the chances that you’re dealing with a plumbing leak. In the end, only an experienced plumber can tell you for sure, so you should never hesitate to contact one if something just doesn’t seem right.
About Jammie Morey
Speak Your Mind