Leaking pipes are among the most common type of home plumbing trouble that plumbers deal with. (Only clogged drains occur more frequently.) If an exposed pipe, such as a drainpipe, starts to leak, it’s easy for a homeowner to see something is wrong and know that it’s time to call on a professional plumber.
But think about the extent of the piping in the average home. Where is most of it located? That’s right, it’s behind walls and down in the floors or up in the ceiling. It’s this fact that explains why you need to have licensed plumbers handle all types of leaks—because simply finding the leaks is a huge part of the job.
But how can I tell I have leaks if I can’t see them?
This is the major dilemma. The answer is that you have to watch for secondary signs of pipe leaks and hope you notice them soon enough to have them stopped before they become too damaging. Here are a few of the secondary signs of leaking pipes:
- High water bills: If you look over your monthly water bills, you’ll have a good idea of what your average usage is per month. If you find a higher bill than expected, check on the number of gallons used. If it’s abnormally high and you haven’t had guests or any other reasons to account for this increase, you probably have a leak.
- Discoloration on walls or ceiling: Pipes leaking behind drywall will cause the material to start to deteriorate. When you see rusty stains appearing on the walls or ceiling material, it means a leak.
- Humidity increase: If closed-off rooms are starting to feel humid even though the weather isn’t humid, there might be a leak.
- The water meter test: If you have other reasons to suspect leaking, try this test. Check the reading on the water meter. Now shut off all water in the house, including water-using appliances, and wait for an hour. Then check the meter again. If it’s moved, you have a leak.
The job of leak detection
This is when you call a Perth Amboy, NJ plumbing contractor for leak detection. You may have an idea where the leak is occurring (those water stains are a good indication), but to make the repair as effective and quick as possible, and to see that the least amount of damage is done to the building material, you must have licensed plumbers do the job of locating the leaks. Plumbers use devices like thermal scanners, acoustic listening discs, and video pipe inspection equipment to pinpoint the exact location of the leaks. They can then access the leaking section, remove it, and replace it with a new section they’ll solder into place.
Please don’t attempt to repair a plumbing leak on your own—even if you know exactly where it is! The potential for water damage, let alone water waste, is too high. You can trust to our plumbers to ensure the job is done right every time.
Scaran has served Staten Island and its neighbors since 1930. Call us today to arrange for quality leak detection and other plumbing services.
