Leaks: Water
Every homeowner does his or her best to keep a house clean and safe. However, a pesky leak can destroy the structural stability of a home.
Water buildup can cause mildew to grow underneath floors and walls. If you discover that you have a major leak, a plumbing expert should be brought in immediately.
Slab Leaks
Slab leaks are one of the most common types of leaks that most homeowners will unfortunately deal with at some point. Identifying a slab leak can be tricky, but there are some key symptoms that you should look for.
Hot areas of the floor could indicate a leak in a hot water pipe. Also, if your water bill is much higher than normal, it could indicate that you have a leak somewhere in your home. Since slab leaks continue when all water is off, your higher water bill is most likely due to this type of leak.
Before you destroy your floor to get to the leak, you should have a professional leak detection specialist or a plumbing company that also offers leak detection come in and diagnose the problem.
Toilet Leaks
Toilet leaks can occur for a number of different reasons. Your toilet may be extremely quiet, but there is still a chance that it's leaking.
If you hear a hissing or trickling sound coming from your toilet, there's a good chance that it's leaking. Specialized dye tablets can be placed in your toilet to help you discover whether or not you have a leak.
If the dye tablet has colored your water, you officially have a leaking toilet. Sometimes, a simple solution can fix a leaking toilet, but that's not always the case. If you have a problem you can't solve, a professional should be called in as soon as possible.
This will allow you to save money on your water bill and avoid any further water damage to your bathroom floor.
Underground Leaks
An underground leak can prove to be very pesky and extremely expensive to fix. Like all other types of leaks, discovering the location of your leak will come down to sound.
In some cases, an underground leak can be found by listening for the sounds of escaping water. You should be able to hear hissing from the pressure of the pipe. In order to properly detect the exact location of an underground leak, you will need a special machine to detect the presence of water.
However, fixing this situation is no easy task. First of all, you must learn your building codes and then apply for a permit. If you're sure that you have an underground leak, the best bet is to call in a professional to handle the problem. This type of repair is not for the handyman.
Waterline Leaks
Water pipes run from outdoor to your water meter and from bathrooms and kitchens, and they usually lead to a boiler room in the basement. Along the way, water pipes can develop small leaks. Discovering a water line leak can be difficult to find and fix.
The most common signs of a water line leak are pools of water in your front yard, dripping pipes, loss of water pressure, and a flooded basement. Removing the leaky pipe and replacing it with a new one will usually fix the problem.
Unfortunately, there are some water pipes that are hard to get to, so a plumber that specializes in water line repairs is recommended.This kind of job can be difficult, and that's why a professional plumber should be brought into handle the situation.
Polybutylene Pipe Problems
Polybutylene pipes were mainly used from the 1970s to the 1990s. For the most part the main issue is that Polybutylene pipes can develop problems for a number of different reasons.
Leaks can occur because of oxidants found in public water. The chemicals in the water negatively react with polybutylene pipes. Flaking, chipping, and overall failure can occur when enough water has passed through a polybutylene pipe.
If you discover that you have a leak due to a polybutylene pipe, an expert should be brought in immediately to fix the problem. It will most likely be a costly job, but it will save you money in the long run.