Your first reaction to reading this blog title might be, “What? Aren’t signs of leaks obvious? It’s water dripping from pipes!” You’re right about that—but think about the piping in your home: how much of it can you actually see? Only a few sections of your home’s plumbing are visible; your house wouldn’t look attractive with bare copper and PVC tubes running through living rooms and dining rooms. When leaks begin, they often start in places you either can’t see, like inside walls or in floors and ceilings, or places you don’t visit often, such as the basement.
But you can learn about leaks from other signs. Here are three important ones you should know about.
Because most of the pipes in your home are difficult to reach, you should get the services of a professional plumbing contractor to seal leaks and find any other problems that might afflict your home’s plumbing. Rentmeister Total Home Service is available to help you in Salt Lake City, UT with plumbing repair.
1. Unusually high water usage
Your daily habits will mean a steady water bill that will only fluctuate, up or down, in minor ways. However, a steady leak anywhere in your plumbing will quickly add up, resulting in water waste and higher bills. Pay attention to your water usage each month. The EPA estimates that 10% of homes in the U.S. have leaks that waste 90 gallons a day—enough to fill a swimming pool in only three months. The EPA offers this benchmark: for an average family of four, usage of more than 12,000 gallons per month is unusual.
2. Damp/stained walls or ceilings
Because many of the pipes in your home run through the walls and ceilings, pay attention to unexplained moisture along them. Even a small leak will start to seep into wall and ceiling plaster and turn it damp. Rusty colored stains on walls or ceilings will also warn you of pipe problems.
3. Warped and buckled wood flooring
Leaks in the floor will cause wood beams to warp. If you notice rises in wood floorboards, or spots where the beams no longer seem to fit together as they once did, the likely culprit is a leaky pipe.
You’ll need plumbing repairs done fast if you have leaks in your pipes. Call a professional plumber to seal the leaks and find the source of the trouble to prevent it from recurring. For excellent plumbing repair services in Salt Lake City, hire Rentmeister Total Home Service. We’re on duty 24/7 and offer same-day service that will clear up your worries from leaky pipes.