Sometimes leaks are obvious and other times they are not. Quiet, hidden leaks are often dangerous because they can do a lot of damage between the time that they begin and the time that you realize a leak is happening. Luckily, there are some signs that you can watch for to indicate there is a hidden leak somewhere in your home.
When you pay attention to these signs and quickly schedule plumbing service in New Orleans, LA, you can stay ahead of a majority of leak damage. Keep reading to learn more about early signs of a plumbing leak and why you should schedule plumbing service sooner rather than later.
Warm Spots on the Floor
If there are warm spots under your floor, they can indicate the presence of water. It’s possible to feel warm spots under hard floors or carpet. Under hard floors, you may also notice that the flooring is detaching from the foundation of your home creating warps or pockets of air. With carpet, the area may also be damp or wet. You might think that someone spilled water, but a leak is more likely the cause if nobody in your family knows how the water got there.
Discoloration on Walls
You can also look for signs of discoloration on your walls and ceiling. When water leaks through sheet rock, it can leave water spots that have brown edges. Over time as a leak progresses these water spots can spread and even get darker. You may even see an area of the wall or ceiling sag under the weight of the water behind it. It’s better to get potential leaks checked out soon to prevent additional damage.
High Water Bills
It is also important to pay attention to your utility costs. Your water bill should be pretty standard from month to month unless you have a significant difference in how much water you use. For example, maybe you run your sprinklers outside when you don’t usually do that.
But if there isn’t an explanation for your water bills being higher, they should not go up. Water bills that either increase slowly or jump up all at one time and then stay high can indicate a water leak somewhere in your home. Even if you don’t see any other signs of a leak, have a plumber check out the situation.
They can check the reading on your water meter to note the usage and then check it again 30 minutes later with no water being used during the period. If the water meter reading changes, you have a leak somewhere. The next step is figuring out where it is and fixing it.
Sounds of Running Water
You can also listen for sounds of running water if you think you may have a leak. This may mean turning off fans, noisy appliances, and even your TVs and radios. Stand near the area where you think you have a leak and listen to see if you can hear a dripping sound or running water.
You can also pay attention when you have water appliances turned on. If you hear water in another section of your house, that could mean that there is a leak somewhere in the lines leading from your water source to that particular appliance.
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