Leaks in your home’s plumbing can be a serious issue. Even small leaks cause serious damage over time. If you are experiencing a leak, you need a plumber with specific knowledge, having the experience and the proper equipment to handle this unique problem.
We have asked to consult with Yoni Kuzi, owner of "Yoni Plumber" which specialize with leak detection to give us some insight about this subject.
Does Your Home Have a Plumbing Leak?
One of the reasons that plumbing leaks are such a major threat is that they aren’t always easy to identify. Your pipes are either behind walls or otherwise out of sight, so you can’t spot leaks directly. However, there are a few signs that indicate you’re dealing with a leak.
Increased water consumption can indicate an unseen leak. You can check this at the water meter yourself, but it’s more likely that you’ll find out about this unwelcome surprise when your water bill is higher than usual. If you haven’t been using more water on anything in particular, chances are you’ve got a leak.
Mold or mildew in your home can also indicate a leak. If you notice small black spots starting to grow on your walls or ceilings, or a musty smell throughout your home, the underlying mold issue could be caused by a leak. You might also see brownish water stains on your ceilings or walls.
Why You Can’t Ignore a Leak
As long as you don’t have a burst pipe flooding your home, you might not think that leaks are such a big deal. However, they really are. Even minor leaks can lead to mold growth in your home. This creates an unhealthy environment, especially for young children, the elderly, and anyone with an underlying respiratory condition.
Leaks can also affect the structure of your home. The increased moisture can cause wooden structural elements to rot and weaken over time. Not only that, but a leak near your foundation can cause the gravel and earth under your home to wash out. Eventually, you could find your foundation shifting, cracking, or collapsing.
What to Do When You Think You Have a Leak
There’s no ambiguity about it. The thing to do when you have a leak in your home is to call a professional. Detecting the exact location of any leak isn’t easy. Even if you have visible water stains, that doesn’t mean that’s where the leak itself is. The water can run along the outside of pipes and studs, meaning the leak itself could be somewhere else entirely.
By trusting this issue to a professional, you’ll be able to resolve the issue quickly and properly. A professional leak detector has specialized tools to help them find the leak. These tools include thermal cameras that let the plumber find the leak without tearing open walls on a whim.
This technology captures infrared light to generate a heatmap of any area. Cold spots caused by leaking water will stand out distinctly, showing the leak detector where the leak really is. From there, they can carry out professional repairs without a major impact on your home.
Always Go With Trusted Professionals
"Of course, there’s always the temptation to save money by trying repairs yourself or having an amateur handyman handle it. With leak detection, that simply isn’t the way to go" saying Yoni who have spent over 15 years providing leak detection and repairs services. So we truly recommend that you should go with an established plumber who has specific expertise in leak detection. Otherwise, you risk wasting time and money and could find yourself with unnecessary holes in your walls and ceilings trying to find the leak.
This article was written in cooperation with Yoni Plumber