You don’t need to be a career plumber to know that water damage can have serious implications for your home. Did you know that water damage and its associated problems like mold and mildew cost the American insurance industry $2.5 billion a year, with the average cost of individual claims ballparking around $7,000? As far as you’re concerned, that’s 7,000 good reasons to take leaks and potential leaks seriously. Leak detection in your Abilene home is easier than you may think and there are always a few tell tale signs you can see before your home becomes another yearly water damage statistic.
Unexplained Spike in Water Bills
Things are getting pricier these days, no question about it. But if you’re experiencing a massive, unexplained spike in your water bill, something’s probably afoot. When you’ve got a leak, you’re losing more water than you’re actually using. This is the first sign you’ll be able to pinpoint, and it’s important to act on it with leak detection services quickly before water damage can really take its toll on your Abilene home. If you get a surprise in the mail one day when the bill comes, you should be on high alert and probably start thinking of plumbers to call.
Low Water Pressure
Water not as forceful as it should be? Shower head not working like it should? Low water pressure is one of the earliest possible signs of a leaky pipe. When there’s a breach in a pipe somewhere, the internal pressure of the system is impacted by the loss of water and the presence of outside air. This results in diminished returns when water comes out of the faucet, showerhead, etc. But before you get concerned, check your pressure valve and eliminate other potential causes of the issue. If these turn up negative, it’s very likely you have a leak somewhere.
Stale, Musty Odor
Because so much of our plumbing is hidden from our view, one of the best and earliest ways to suss out a leak is with our sense of smell. When it accumulates over time, water develops this stale, musty stench that, unless your nose isn’t functioning properly, is pretty hard to miss. This can either be the water stagnating or, in a worse scenario, the start of mold/mildew buildup somewhere behind your walls. Due to the severe health implications of such a problem in your home, it’s fair to say that if it fails the smell test, you should probably get concerned.
Hyper Water Meters
If your Abilene home has a water meter, you’ve got something of a secret weapon in your leak detection arsenal. Checking the meter is a great way to determine your status. First, make sure no one in the building is using water and all your appliances are deactivated. If the dial on the meter is still acting up, there’s definitely a leak somewhere.
Foundation Cracking
Just like we learned in science class, water erodes and breaks down stone over time. Water from a leaky pipe is one of the prime culprits of foundation and slab damage, and cracks in them can mean a whole host of issues for the rest of your home. If you notice foundation or slab cracks, your first order of business should be to call a professional to get them fixed ASAP. Priority #2 should be to address the issue that caused those cracks in the first place; likely a leaky pipe.
Termite Activity
Termites are a weird species of pest in that entire colonies of them can lay dormant for years at a time. Exposure to water can wake them up and then they’ll start doing what they do best: eating away at your house. Leaks in your plumbing can awaken these pests and give you a twofold headache, making you have to call a plumber AND an exterminator.
Puddles in Your Yard
If you haven’t gotten rain recently, there shouldn’t be any water in your yard. Simple right? Not so. A good number of your pipes flow under your property and when they leak, there’s only one place for the water to go: into the dirt. Unexplained damp, moist, or otherwise muddy yards are a prime sign of a leak under your property, and are usually accompanied by dirty water being tainted by the leak. Thankfully, the pros at Midway also offer top-shelf trenchless repair.
Call the professionals at Midway Plumbing for leak detection in Abilene!
