Having problems with your plumbing range from a small leak to a full-on crisis, many serious and costly plumbing issues are prevented by catching them early. By being able to identify subtle signs of potential problems you avoid damage to your home, health hazards, and expensive emergency repairs down the road.
Pay attention to drips and leaks
The most obvious sign of plumbing trouble is water where it shouldn’t be. Drips and leaks might seem harmless at first, but they indicate that pipes or fittings are failing. Even a small leak has the potential to turn into a gushing flood over time. Water leaks rot wood, and warp floors, promote mold growth, and cause a host of other problems if left unaddressed. Be proactive about investigating every water stain or drip you see. Trace its source to find failing fixtures or pipe joints to be sealed, tightened, or replaced entirely. Catching and fixing minor leaks promptly prevent severe damage.
Check water quality from fixtures
Cloudy, discoloured, bad-tasting, or foul-smelling water emerging from faucets and showers is never normal. Sometimes the issue originates with your community water supply or underground pipes entering your home. But often, declines in water quality signal corrosion, bacteria, or debris accumulating in your home’s water system components. Orange staining likely indicates rusty pipes or water heater failure. Bad odor points to sulfur bacteria infestations. Particles floating in water may mean loose scale and sediment that could obstruct fixtures.
Inspect plumbing fixtures routinely
The plumbing disasters start with failing faucets, showerheads, toilets, and other fixtures that drip, leak, or break over time. Make a habit of inspecting all exposed plumbing parts around your home periodically. Look beneath sinks to check for water on the cabinet or floor, a sign of loose piping, or deteriorating sink gaskets. Jiggle toilet tanks and shower arms to confirm nothing is loose. Check faucets for drips and showerheads for calcium deposits clogging the flow turning fixtures on and off also tests for the smooth operation of shut-off valves that get stuck over time.
Plumbing when remodelling
When renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry space, include full inspection and upgrades of old plumbing lines hidden inside walls exposed by demolition. Galvanized pipes have a lifespan of 40-50 years before corroding and cracking usually causes leaks. Old drain pipes may be undersized, improperly sloped, or developed joint separations letting sewer gases escape. Even if you aren’t noticing plumbing problems currently, full ideal access for preventative plumbing overhauls that ward off issues another decade or more down the road. Northern Beaches plumbers are known for their reliability and professionalism.
Listen for running toilets
Toilets with internal leaks often continuously run water without being noticed. But the sound of flowing water and elevated monthly water bills finally call attention to the problem. Toilet leaks result from failing flappers, fill valves, tank bolts, and other components that degrade over years of operation. Catching running toilets early reduces unnecessary water consumption by thousands of gallons monthly. That saves on utility costs. Early detection also limits water flooding damage if deteriorated tank parts were to fully fail leading to overflows.
