::drip, drip, drip::
This is the sound of a rather obvious plumbing leak, probably coming from somewhere like your kitchen or bathroom sink. In the middle of the night, when you’re trying to sleep—but all you can concentrate on is that noise.
This is one of those cases where you clearly know you have a plumbing leak. There is no detection needed. You can call a plumber and ideally have it repaired right away as it’s likely a loose valve failing to shut off the water flow.
Not all plumbing leaks are so… “visible,” though. Given that the majority of your plumbing system is hidden behind walls or beneath the slab of your home’s foundation, you could actually be suffering from plumbing leaks you don’t even know about until it’s too late and you have an emergency on your hands.
“Can I Avoid a Plumbing Emergency?”
Absolutely! While not all plumbing leaks are obvious, there are still things you can do to detect them. And we hope you’ll give our team a call if you do suspect something is amiss. Remember, a leak can exist for quite a while before the average homeowner discovers it—this could end up costing you way more than calling a plumber just because you suspect a leak. Keep reading to learn some of the signs of a plumbing leak.
Rising Water Bills
Do you suspect that your high water bill isn’t actually matching your water usage? Perhaps your water bill this month is higher than it was this same time last year despite comparable use. Or maybe it’s higher than what your neighbors are paying. A problem with the water meter is very rare, so what’s likely happening here is that you’re losing water through a leak.
The Sound of Running or Rushing Water
Everyone always says to “keep an eye out” for problems, but we encourage giving your ears involved, too. Running water makes a sound of course… if you hear water running somewhere when you’ve never heard it before and no appliances are running, then you might be hearing the result of a leak. From this point it’s best to give our team a call. If this leak is occurring beneath the slab of your home—this is called a slab leak, appropriately—waiting to call a plumber can mean suffering from a significant amount of property damage.
Musty Odors
Does your home smell musty at all? If so, it might be due to damp conditions that you aren’t able to see. Remember, a major problem with water leaks is the potential for biological pollutants to develop, not just the physical damage that can result from water exposure. This is not only unsanitary, but it can be unhealthy for you and your family. So, if you smell something like mildew in your home, especially if the air is fairly dry, it could very well be from a plumbing leak. If the smell is accompanied by the signs we mentioned above, we can almost guarantee that’s what’s going on.
When you need a professional plumber in Kirkwood, MO, contact Performance Plumbing!