Locating Hidden Water Leaks in Your House: Common Sources to Check
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Water leaks can be a homeowner's worst nightmare. They can cause extensive damage, lead to high water bills, and result in costly repairs. Here's a comprehensive guide to identifying, preventing, and addressing water leaks in your home.
Spotting the Signs
Water stains in the ceiling or on walls, mould growth, and musty smells are all signs of a potential water leak. Unusual changes in your lawn or garden, such as unusually soft, muddy, or green patches, water pooling, or water in the meter box, could also indicate a hidden leak.
In the bathroom, look out for water stains on ceilings or walls, mould odors, damp or peeling wallpaper/paint near sinks, toilets, or bathtubs, and low water pressure. A leaking toilet base or tank should also raise concerns.
In the kitchen, check for moisture or discoloration under sinks, damaged cabinet bottoms, water pooling or soft spots on floors, musty odors, and drips from plumbing fixtures.
Behind walls, damp or warm spots on drywall, peeling paint, mould or mildew odors, bubbling wallpaper, and sometimes hollow sounds when tapping tiles or walls can indicate hidden leaks.
Hidden Leaks: Underground and Beneath Slabs
Cracks in foundation or walls, unusually high water bills, and uneven or sinking floors may signal leaks beneath your home. Professional detection tools such as acoustic listening devices and thermal imaging can locate these leaks without invasive methods.
Common Causes of Water Leaks
Blocked drains, poor or unlicensed plumbing work, and unregulated water pressure are common causes of water leaks. Unruly tree roots can cause plumbing leaks in external pipes, while damaged, degraded, or improperly maintained roofing can lead to water leaks, including cracked tiles and overflowing gutters.
Preventative Measures
To prevent water leaks, it's essential to carry out any plumbing work, including renovations, by licensed professionals. Maintaining appliances and ensuring they are installed correctly can also help prevent leaks.
Dealing with Water Leaks
If you suspect a water leak but cannot locate it visually, advanced non-invasive tools used by professionals—including acoustic leak detection and infrared thermal imaging—can precisely pinpoint leaks behind walls, under floors, or underground before significant damage occurs.
Emergency Plumbing Services
RACV offers 24/7 emergency plumbers every day of the year, with help usually arriving within an hour and no after-hours, weekend, or public holiday surcharges.
Insurance Coverage
A water leak or related damage may be covered by insurance, depending on the individual policy and product disclosure statement. For instance, RACV Home and Contents Insurance can help cover a range of events including damage from water leaks caused by a faulty washing machine or leaking pipe.
Apartment Dwellers
If you live in an apartment, you may need to notify your strata corporation to access repairs. In apartment complexes or duplexes, water leaks may be caused by neighboring or overhead apartments.
Act Quickly
Kieran Davies, Head of Trades at RACV, advises to act quickly if water is escaping from the property. Water leaks can lead to structural problems over time, such as warping, crumbling, or lifting of walls, cupboards, and benchtops.
Sources
[1] Water Service Authority
[2] RACV
[3] Tap Plumbing and Electrical
[4] HomeAdvisor
[5] Angie's List
- To maintain a healthy home-and-garden lifestyle and prevent costly repairs, it's crucial to address hidden water leaks promptly, such as those beneath floors or walls, upon spotting signs like unusual changes in the lawn or garden, water pooling, or musty smells.
- In the quest to improve one's lifestyle and home-and-garden spaces, investing in preventative measures like hiring licensed professionals for plumbing work and maintaining appliances can help minimize issues related to water leaks.
