There are few things in this world that are more irritating than the quiet—but constant—“drip, drip, drip” of a leak somewhere in the house.
On the surface, the noise itself is a constant source of annoyance that can drive some people crazy. On the other hand, however, a leak can also prove to be a financial problem, not just a test of your patience.
Leaks, obviously are not things that are supposed to happen in your home. If you’re not careful, a leak can end up leading to a very expensive repair, but how? And why?
Let’s look at the problem of the leak more closely and see.
Find the Source
Before you can deal with a leak, you must first determine where it is to see what’s causing it.
If you’re very lucky, a leak from something like faucet may be dealt with simply by tightening the fixture.
If you’re unlucky, the leak may be coming from somewhere else, such as your water heater, your toilet, you water pipe, your sewage pipe, or even your water supply line.
Check your water sources, faucets, heaters, and toilets to see where the leaks are.
If you can’t find the leak in obvious places, you’ll need to check your pipes.
Try shutting your water and checking your water meter to gauge the extent of the leak, as well as to see if the leak is in your water supply pipe or your house.
A Symptom of a Bigger Problem
Sometimes a leak is just symptom that by itself, doesn’t seem too serious. After all, it’s just a little bit of water coming out of a tap if you can see it, or mysteriously making noise elsewhere in the house if you can’t.
However, if neglected, a leak will always end up costing you money. The average household that suffers from a small leak may lose up to 7.6-76 cubic meters of water to leaks, and that adds up in your utility bill.
Beyond that, a leak may indicate a much bigger problem in your plumbing, and the more you ignore it, the bigger it will get.
Ignoring a leak can result in much more expensive and expansive repair, than if you’d addressed the problem earlier.
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
The best way to keep a leak from turning into a serious problem is to nip the issue early.
Take the time to occasionally inspect pipes in your house.
Inspect the drains in your sinks and try to keep these areas from being completely cluttered so you can more easily spot leaks that drip to the bottom of the cabinet.
You can also try to lower the water pressure, as high water pressure can shorten the lifespan of pipes over time.
"Hard water,” that is, water with a high mineral content, can also damage pipes.
Soft water, with fewer minerals, has a less erosive effect.
