If you’re a homeowner, you understand how important it is to keep the water flowing in your home. Many people are concerned that their pipes may become clogged and that they will have difficulty keeping them open. However, you can also have problems if you’ve got any leaks in your pipes. According to the American Water Works Association, the average American uses up to 250 gallons of water daily, and loses almost 15% of that water to leaks from pipes and plumbing.
If your pipes are cracked water can leak freely from them. Leaks not only waste water, they become a waste of money. You should contact a local plumber and ask for a plumbing inspection to prevent water waste and damage from water leaks. During an inspection, a plumber will look at all the pipes in your system and find out if they can spot leaks.
To help prevent excess leaks, it may help to know the signs of a water leak. According to Simply Green, you may see water stains near the pipes when you have leaks. In addition, homeowners with leaks often notice a musty smell. Preventing mold can be another reason for avoiding water leaks.
Every day there are hundreds of gallons of water passing through our homes, businesses, and streets; thanks to proper plumbing most of us only see the water that we request. Admittedly, most of us do not spend our time thinking about indoor plumbing despite the crucial role it plays in our everyday lives. Only when things go horribly wrong do we consider to turn our attention towards our plumbing; here are some reasons why homeowners may want to take time out of their year to have a plumbing diagnosis to ensure that everything is running smoothly and without leaks or obstructions.
Leaking Money
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) suggests that the average American household uses up to 250 gallons of water each day but ends up losing 14% of that water to pipe and plumbing leaks. Nearly half of all residential toilets leak to some degree through lose pipes or improper installation. Leaking faucets and showerheads have the potential to cost homeowners hundreds of dollars every year; a single showerhead that drips at a rate of 10 drops per minute can waste thousands of gallons of water over the course of a year — this is money that comes directly out of a homeowner’s water bill. By taking steps to correct simple household leaks, it is estimated that homeowners can save around 10% on their water bills every month.
Breaches in Your Pipes
Correcting the above issues is fairly easy because homeowners have access to these leaks, but what about the leaks in pipes themselves? Houses in climates where the temperature dips below 20 degrees Fahrenheit are susceptible to cycles of freezing and thawing; since water expands when it freezes, poorly insulated pipes can burst and produce cracks. Even a crack as small as three millimeters can prove to be dangerous, as it may excrete up to 250 gallons of water per day. Plumbing failures such as these are the second most common cause of homeowner loss in the United States calling for emergency repairs to avoid damage to floors, furniture, appliances, and personal items. For this reason, it is suggested that all homeowners have a professional plumbing diagnosis done every spring to ensure that the winter weather has not done any serious damage to one’s pipes.
Sewer Repair: The Cure for a Severe Plumbing Diagnosis
In the most extreme and threatening of cases, homeowners may experience backflow from their sewer lines, indicating some kind of problem down the line. In many cases tree roots are to blame: in their ever-continuous search for water, tree roots can easily penetrate old clay pipe lines installed prior to the 1980s. Those with sewer lines older than 40 years should consider having their sewer lines scopes to ensure that they have stood up to the test of time. In the case of a leak, homeowners will have to have their sewer lines repaired or replaced. Professional plumbing services can perform a plumbing diagnosis using a scope to determine the area and severity of a leak — this will determine whether or not a sewer line ought to be repaired or completely replaced. Although many are familiar with traditional excavation to get at sewer lines, replacement sewer repair methods have been available for decades and can help to minimize the damage to homeowner’s yards. Although these trenchless repair methods can cost up to 50% more than conventional sewer repair and replacement, many homeowners find that they save money as they do not have to pay for costly landscaping repairs on top of their plumbing repairs. If you believe your home is leaking water somewhere down the line, contact professional plumbing services in your area to find and stop the leak.
