A small leak coming from one of the plumbing pipes in your home might not seem like an immediate threat, but the leak has the potential to cause serious damage within your home over time.
Leaky pipes should never be overlooked. Exposure to water could ruin your priceless family photographs, leave your electronics inoperable, and cause your water bill to skyrocket. A lot of the pipes that make up a residential plumbing system can be hidden behind walls and beneath flooring. This makes spotting a leak almost impossible.
Here are some simple detection methods that you can use to help identify potential plumbing leaks that are putting the safety and stability of your home at risk.
Check for Puffy Paint
Most walls are protected by a coat of paint. This paint offers a buffer for the drywall against environmental contaminants, and it can also help to add color to your interior living space. Leaking pipes behind painted walls can take a toll on the quality of the paint finish.
The most common sign of a water leak near a painted wall will be the appearance of puffy paint. The moisture that leaks from a damaged pipe will work its way between the paint layer and the drywall in your home. The bond that helps hold the paint in place will be compromised, and water can begin to pool in certain areas.
This leads to the creation of raised areas that give a painted wall a puffy appearance. Have a plumber take a look at the pipes near puffy paint to see if leaks are the source of your paint problems.
Look for Water Stains
The sudden appearance of water stains on the ceilings or walls of your home can be a tell-tale sign that you have a moisture problem.
You won’t be able to identify the source of the water based on the color of the water stain alone. Gravity can cause water to travel through many layers of building materials before it seeps through your drywall or ceiling materials. The water will collect all sorts of contaminants as it travels, resulting in many water stains having a yellow, brown, or reddish appearance.
If you spot water stains in your home, you need to have a licensed plumber inspect the property for leaking pipes. Failure to repair pipe likes quickly can lead to the spread of water stains and a weakening of the structural stability of your home.
Search for Stagnant Water
Leaking pipes can contribute to standing water within your home. Stagnant water can pose a serious threat to the safety and health of your family.
Pools of water act as a prime breeding ground for mosquitos, which can lead them into your home. Mosquitoes can carry many viruses (like West Nile virus or malaria) that can be transmitted to humans. Stagnant water can also attract rodents and other insects that could be carrying diseases. Another potential danger that stagnant water creates is the risk of mold growth within your home.
Standing water can increase humidity levels in the air, creating a comfortable environment where mold and mildew can thrive. Some mold spores will travel through your living space. They could cause respiratory problems or spread mold to areas of your home that are far removed from the leaking pipe.
Anytime you see stagnant water in your home, the help of a plumber should be requested to identify the source of the water and make the necessary repairs.
Leaky pipes might seem innocuous, but they can be quite dangerous if they aren't repaired quickly. Contact Cleary Plumbing & Air for a free estimate if you suspect that your home is plagued by leaking pipes.