A simple water leak might not seem like a big deal, but it can actually cause a large amount of damage to your home, as well as your health, if it goes undetected. We all know that irritating sound of the ‘drip, drip’ coming from a faulty faucet. It’s enough to keep you up at night! Next time you notice it, make sure you get it checked straight away to avoid long-term problems. Of course, a water leak isn’t always so noticeable. Here are 5 major signs of a water leak in your home.
Why Is A Water Leak Dangerous?
Leaking water in your home might not sound like cause for concern. But when it is left undetected for a long period of time, plenty of damage can occur. Leaks can get into your walls and floors and cause cracks to form in the foundation of your home. This can compromise the entire structure of your home over time.
Not only this, but water leaves areas of your home damp, which is the perfect breeding ground for mould to work its way in and grow. This can cause many symptoms, such as nasal congestion, wheezing, chest tightness, coughing and more.
A leak is something you want to fix straight away, so here are the signs you need to look out for.
5 Major Signs Of A Water Leak
High water bill
Your water bill is a great place to start. If you’ve been living in the home for a while now, you can compare current water bills to the same bills from a year ago for the same period. This will give you a good indication if something is going on. If your water bill has gone up by far than you would expect, and for no reason, ie you haven’t been hosting guests, it could be a cause for concern.
Dripping or running water
If you’re hearing drips, or actual water running, then you want to find out the source as soon as possible There is no better sign that you have a leak on your hands that needs to be seen right away. Take a walk around your home and check all your faucets, toilet valves and other outdoor taps to find out the source of the running water. If it’s not an easy fix, it’s better to call in a leak detection specialist, sooner rather than later.
Wet or damp floors
Water might not seem like a big deal, that is until your entire floors are damp. Do you notice a squelch underfoot when walking in your home? The alarm bells should be ringing. This is a good indication that you have a sewer leakage on your hands. While a pile of towels will certainly help the immediate situation, they won’t do much to stop the actual leak. This is one problem you don’t want to ignore, as mould will use it as a breeding ground. Call in the professionals straight away and get it seen to.
Foul odours
Smell is a good giveaway if there is something going on in your home. Unless of course you have filthy teenagers – then the smells can be hard to pick! If there is an unpleasant smell in your home and you can’t find the source (ie, it’s not coming from the teenager’s room), you could have a mould issue on hand. Get a plumber out immediately to locate the issue and stop the growth.
Wall cracks
Even the smallest leak can build into a huge issue if it’s left for long enough. If a leak keeps falling into the same spot in your home, it causes the ground to shift slightly. This won’t be noticeable to you, but you will see cracks appear in your walls. It has changed the actual structure of your home.
If you notice any of these 5 major signs of detecting a water leak in your home, then call in a professional team of experts as soon as possible. Backed up by years’ of experience and equipped with the latest technology, an experienced emergency plumber or leak detector expert can stop a small issue from developing into a much bigger one, protecting both your home and the health of your family.
