Locating Leaks

The sound of running water helps. If you hear it, follow it to its source. You can buy a listening device that amplifies sounds when it's held up to a pipe. Any wall stain is likely to be below the actual location of the leak and you'll probably need to remove part of the wall to find it. Remember, if water is staining the ceiling or dripping down, the leak is probably directly above.

A little drip coming from the ceiling could mean much bigger problems and more widespread damage once you take a look inside. And just because that drip is coming down in the middle of your living room does not mean that the source of it is directly above you. It could be that water is running all throughout your ceiling and only coming down at the weakest point. Regardless of where or how a leak develops, you want to get it taken care of quickly. And the best way to do that is to give our experienced plumbers a call right away. We use high tech diagnostic equipment to find leaks and repair them in a fraction of the time it would take with conventional means.

When temperatures fall very low, here's how to keep your pipes from freezing:

• Keep a trickle of water running from the faucets.
• Beam a heat lamp or small heater at exposed pipes (hair dryers work well too).
• Wrap un-insulated pipes with newspapers, foam pipe insulation, or self-adhesive insulating tape.
• Keep cabinets open and doors ajar between heated and unheated rooms.