How to Avoid the Most Common Reasons for Water Leaks in the Home

It’s inconvenient and potentially expensive to deal with the aftermath of a water leak in your Vernon, CT home. If you do discover evidence of a water leak (i.e., pooling water, moisture on pipes, rust, a hike in your water bills that doesn’t make sense, low water pressure or mold growth), your first step is to call your plumber.

They will use their specialized water leak detection equipment to get to the source of the leak. In our experience, the chances are that the leak will be traced back to one of the following reasons.

Corroded Pipes

One of the most threatening things to your plumbing is rust. That’s because the buildup of rust will break down the plumbing until it is decayed and leaks.

Even worse is if you have copper pipes and a high concentration of minerals in your water. Both of these factors increase the likelihood that your pipes will corrode.

There are a number of things that you can do to avoid this problem. Don’t let your water run too hot; hot water will speed up the rust process. Also be sure to run water frequently to flush standing water out of the system. Consider replacing copper pipes with PVC, which are more resistant to rust.

Pipe Age

Do you have older plumbing? That may be the reason behind your water leak.

Like many other things in your home, as it ages, your plumbing becomes more susceptible to damage and will need water leak repair.

If your home is older, you may want to consult your plumber about the possibility of updating your plumbing to avoid more leaks in the future.

Wrong Water Pressure

There is nothing more relaxing than the steamy spray of a long, hot shower. However, if you knew what the force of the water was doing to your pipes, you may think differently.

When water pressure is too high, it batters the sides of the pipes, eventually causing damage and leaks.

To keep this from happening, check your water pressure regularly and make sure that it is in the “safe zone” (i.e., from about 45-60 psi).

Water Quality in Question

When is the last time that you had your water quality tested? Not only is this important for your family’s health, having good quality water is important for the health of your pipes too.

When your water is full of impurities, they bind to the inside of the pipe and cause decay and leaks.

You can likely avoid this trouble by installing a water softener or water filtration system, depending on what your local water is like. You can save yourself a lot of hassle simply by knowing what factors cause plumbing leaks.