Dealing with Leaking Pipes and Other Problems

You may think that your home doesn't have any water leaks since you can't see any staining on your floors and walls. However, some water leaks are hidden and rarely leave visible signs of the leakage. This article discusses some of the hidden leaks that you should test for periodically.

Leaky Shower Doors

People with shower doors need to test how well those doors keep water away from the floor outside the shower compartment. Any leaks in this area can seep into the subfloor and cause it to rot. Test the shower door by closing it when you are inside. Next, splash water onto the different parts of the door and its frame. Go outside and observe whether any water is present just outside the door. Any moisture that you find is a sign that the shower door isn't doing its work effectively. Replace any damaged gaskets or floor sweeps to fix this leak. It may also be necessary for you to re-caulk the shower door frame.

The Tub Drain

Another hidden source of water leaks in homes is the shower or tub drain. The leak can start when there is a slight separation between the drain connection and the bottom of your tub or shower. This leak can remain undetected for long because you will always think that all the water from the tub or shower is going through the drain. However, some of it may be seeping into the flooring beneath the tub or shower floor. How can you detect this leak? Open the faucet and allow some water to collect in the tub. Next, place a plug in the drain opening and wait for several minutes. Return and observe whether the level of the water you left has changed. Any reduction will signal that water escaped through other openings since the drain was plugged. The gasket, caulk or the drain itself may need to be replaced/repaired.

Humidifiers

Homes with whole-house humidifiers can lose a lot of water without anyone realising it. Defective refill valves can allow water to escape through the overflow drain hose. The best way to test for such a leak is to turn the humidifier off without shutting down the water supply. Any water that you see flowing through the drain pipe confirms the presence of a leak. Have the unit repaired immediately.

Many other hidden leaks can exist, such as within walls. It is therefore important to ask an experienced plumber to inspect your plumbing system thoroughly so that such leaks can be discovered and rectified before they cause extensive damage to your property.