You Don't Always See The Dripping Water: Other Early Signs Of A Leak

Of course you would know if you had a water leak in your home. You'd see the dripping water – it would be impossible to miss, right? Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes leaks start off so slow that you won't notice the dripping water. By the time they become noticeable, they have already caused substantial damage. If you want to spot a leak before it ruins your floorboards or rusts out your faucet, look for these early signs.

Raised or buckling tile on the bathroom floor.

Floor tiles don't just rise on their own. If one of your tiles seems to be rising up, it's probably because the material beneath it is absorbing water and expanding. If the suspect tile is near the toilet, you might have a slow leak where your toilet seals to the pipe that comes up through the floor. If the tile is near the bathtub, there may be a pinhole in the bathtub floor itself or a small leak in a pipe leading to the bathtub faucet.

Rust around the edges of the faucet.

In a sink, it's hard to tell the difference between a little water that is dripping down the side of the faucet and water that was splashed there as you washed your hands. If there is a touch of rust starting to appear along the edges of your faucet, it's probably leaking. Water from washing hands would dry up before it has a chance to cause this rust, since faucets are generally made from rust-resistant metals.

A high water bill.

If your water bill creeps up without explanation, you might have a leak in a main pipe leading into your home. An outdoor hose may also have been left on, or may be leaking. Even if you can't spot a leak, it's wise to call a plumber if you're confident your water use and inflation don't account for the increased bill. Leaks from a main pipe often drain into the ground, so you wouldn't be able to spot them on your own.

A moldy smell.

If you notice a moldy smell in a certain room or throughout the home, you may have a pipe leaking behind a wall or under the floor. Moisture leads to mold, and you'll never be able to keep the mold at bay unless you have the source of the moisture – likely a leak – fixed.

If you're not sure whether an abnormality you notice in your home is a sign of a leak, don't be afraid to call your plumber and ask. He or she can tell you whether a certain situation suggests you might have a leak, or whether you're worrying unnecessarily.

For more information, contact Clark's Plumbing & Heating Corp. or a similar company.


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