Leak Detection and Repair: A Best Practices Guide

Home is a place where families go to unwind and relax. Home can be the most favorite place in one’s life. So keeping it safe is important. Not properly keeping a home free from leaks, mold, corrosion can cause the home not to be so

pleasurable after all.

What Causes Leaks and How to Find Them

Leaks can be caused by many different reasons. One reason could be due to high water pressure. The water pressure in pipes can not be too high. If the pressure is too high, the pipe will burst. Pipe bursts are common, they can occur in walls, bathrooms etc.

Another cause of pipe leakage is due to cracks in the pipes. Cracks form in pipes that are continuously being flooded with hard water. Hard water is abrasive and causes pipes to wear out and eventually form holes.

Though leaks may appear innocent enough, they can do loads of damage. If a leak is widespread and pervasive enough it can ruin an entire wall. The only solution will be to knock down the wall and replace it.

Leaks are not to be ignored. They can cause significant and costly damage. Here are a few signs to look for when searching for leaks:

  1. mildew
  2. wet spots in dry places
  3. running water sounds
  4. musty smells
  5. cracks in wall

Finding mildew underneath the carpet is not a pleasant experience. Mildew surrounded by wet spots in the corner of a home can ruin the day. Could this have been avoided. In some cases the answer may be, yes. Prior to a leak causing damage, there were most likely other signs of leaking.

Before mildew started to grow, there may have been other signs to look for. For example, was the sound of running water heard in the walls. Sometimes, a homeowner can stand in front of a certain area and can listen to the water leaking.

Being attentive to this could have stopped the mildew carpet situation. Planoplumbingtx.com will take the time to get to the bottom of such situations. They understand if a leaking problem is tackled early, money can be saved in the long run.

Another sign that can be observed is a bad smell. That old musty smell can linger in the air for hours, sometimes all day. Why not investigate and find out where that smell is coming from. If that smell was noticed prior the mildew issue could have been avoided. Planoplumbingtx.com trains its employees to look for early signs to prevent home damage.

Another sign that could be noticed are cracks in the wall. Cracks are known to appear in walls that are experiencing water leaks. The leaks flow through the walls for so long that the walls become soft and begin to crack.

Ways to Stop Leaks

When pipes leak there are a few ways to stop it. One way is to purchase a compound stick. Rubbing the stick on the inside of the pipe will seal the holes. The stick can even be used while the water is running. Epoxy paste is also an excellent remedy. However, the water must be turned completely off.

For more difficult cases, such as wall pipe leaks, a more advanced move may be needed. For example, a plumber may cut out a part of the wall. Cutting out the drywall is done to get to the faulty pipe.

Then the plumber will saw off an entire pipe area. Once the faulty area of the pipe is removed, a copper sleeve will be added to the non-damaged part of the pipe. This activity should be performed by an experienced professional.