Common Places Water Leaks and Why. Maintaining a home is not that easy. As a homeowner, you need to check everything inside the house to avoid problems that can affect your family in the future. One of these problems is leaks of water. Leaking water can not only damage your home; it also brings with it the threat of toxic mold growth. You do not want this to touch any of your children because this can make them sick.
Why it is often too late when you find out there is a leak? And if it’s already there, the damage is done. You spend hard earned cash on water leak repair and it’s not even funny. The reason for a water leak in your home is plain and simple: you forgot to routinely check your home for plumbing problems. Water is a universal solvent and it seeps through everywhere and anywhere. That is why, as mentioned, it is very important to give time to periodically inspect the insides of your home to avoid this nuisance.
How can you protect your family from this inconvenience? Here are several sources of water leaks common at any home. For your guidance: 1. Kitchen Sinks 2. Washing Machine Hoses 3. Water Heater Hoses 4. Bathroom Sinks and Tiles 5. Shower Heads 6. Toilet Bowl
The sink is a place that people never check. Look at how the pipes are under the cabinet. Older sinks may have the older style S trap, which is no longer permitted as it can siphon water out of trap allowing sewer gas to enter home. Drains often leak at clean out and shut off valves can also leak causing damage to floor of cabinet
Another area to watch out for is your laundry room. The hose on your washing machine can cause a lot of damage if not secured into drain. Remember though the your washer needs an air gap at the drain, so do not seal with duct tape etc. Washing machines over 5 years old should be checked at least once every 6 months for leakage. As equipment grows old, it becomes subject to wear and tear. Even a thin spray of water on your hose can cause a big problem in the future. Hot water tanks often start leaking at the pressure relief valve, which can start slowly and build up over time. In Barrie ON most hot water tanks are rentals and service for leaks is free.
The bathroom is the prime culprit for water leaks. Caulking is required on all floor joints and around your bathtub. Cracks can induce leaking and if it is an upstairs bathroom can cause mould and mildew growth in your ceiling. Any water leak has the potential to allow the growth of mould. Prevention is key and keeping a eye on your plumbing may save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs.
The toilet is another common place for water leaks. Some people like to caulk their toilet to the floor but it is usually not a good idea as when seal leaks water is trapped and will rot out your floor. Look at the piping and shut offs at least one time every month. When the floor around the toilet is always wet you probably have a leaking seal. The only way to make sure you don’t get problems is to look over your plumbing.
During the home inspection process Roger Frost of Barrie Home Inspections checks all plumbing for leaks, poor supports, type of material, properly installed traps and runs all taps and fixtures to ensure that they are functioning properly. Jet tubs are filled up and tested to ensure that unit works and there are no leaks.