Practical Water Leak Detection Tips
Your home is your castle, which is why you need to take every precaution that you can to protect it. Aside from fire, water damage poses one of the biggest threats to your home and its contents.
The solution to preventing or minimizing damage from a water leak is to be vigilant and commit to regular maintenance. Here are some tips to guide you.
Preventative Maintenance Suggestions
Want to prevent a leak? Start outside your home. Inspect your foundation for pooling water. Keep your eyes open for excessive water on your lawn, which could indicate a leak in your irrigation system. Make sure that hose bibs aren’t leaky.
In your basement, look for signs of water. On your water heater, inspect the valves and look for water or rust. Don’t have the water pressure set too high as that can cause stress on the pipes.
Check your washing machine hoses to make sure that they are intact and place a drip tray underneath it. Pull your dishwasher out and inspect the hoses.
Clean faucet aerators regularly and check your plumbing fixtures, including toilets, showerheads, and sinks for leaks.
How Water Hurts Your Home
Mold needs two elements to grow rapidly. Moisture and nutrients. A water leak supplies the moisture and your drywall or carpet supplies the nutrients.
And when you combine those with the humid Florida climate, mold grows quickly and is hard to remove once it starts. Mold is not only messy and expensive to remove; its presence is a hazard to your family’s health. Water damage can also warp your walls and your door frames.
It can cause wood beams to rot or break. Again, these are expensive things to fix.
Determining the Presence of a Leak
The most obvious sign of a water leak is pooling water. Less obvious but just as important signs include low water pressure, an uptick in your water bills that you can’t explain, mold growth, and a musty odor. One of the most common leak sources is your toilets. To determine if they are the source of the leak, remove the toilet tank lid; place a brightly colored dye tablet in, and wait a few minutes.
If the color seeps through into the bowl, you’ve got a leak. It could be the flapper (which is often the case) or something else.
It’s important to fix this correctly, as a leaking toilet can cause a lot of damage to the floor/ceiling beneath it.
Need Help Locating Your Water Leak?
Southern Florida relies on Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration for professional water leak detection and repair. Contact us today if you need help in Boca Raton or nearby!
