Famous historical writer John Bunyan once said, “one leak will sink a ship.” While Mr. Bunyan wasn’t speaking literally, the logic still stands: a small problem often becomes a large problem if it’s left alone. Even If he was speaking literally, in fact, he’d still be right. Even something small like a leaking pipe can lead to water bills, foundational damage, and more.
Inversely, that means stopping big problems from happening can be as fixing small ones. By finding and repairing your leaking pipes, you can prevent bigger problems before they happen. These are the four most common reasons why pipes leak. Once you know why your pipes are leaking, you’ll know how you have to fix them.
Corrosion
Pipes corrode for several reasons. Hard, mineral-rich water scrapes away at the inside of pipes harder than softer water. The acidic chemicals in chemical drain cleaners eat away at your pipes over time. When pipes are improperly fitted together, metals with opposing charges can wear each other down.
The longer you let your pipes corrode, the worse the problem gets. There’s no reliable way to fix corroded pipes. If your pipes corrode, you should replace them right away. After you’ve replaced your pipes, look into the reason why your previous pipes corroded. A pro can help you determine the cause of the corrosion and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
High water pressure
If your water pressure is too high, it can cause pipe ruptures, water waste, and (you guessed it) leaks. Most pipes have a recommended pressure maximum of 80 psi. If your water supplier pushes out water harder than 80 psi, you could have a pressure problem.
If you suspect you have a water pressure problem in your home, call the experts at The Pink Plumber right away. We’ll be able to diagnose your problem, find the cause, and fix it for you.
Movement of surrounding infrastructure
Houses have a mind of their own. Foundations settle, walls shift, and things move over time. All those movements, no matter how small, can affect the things in the home–including the pipes.
As the house moves, it could force pipes to move, jostle around, or separate. Depending on how significant the pipe separation, your pipes could start leaking or even rupture. If you think your pipes have moved, you should call in a pro to re-adjust them.
Clogs
Lots of things create clogs in your pipes. Grease and hair build up inside pipes over time. Small objects often get lodged inside pipes after someone accidentally flushes them down a drain. Corrosion on the inside of pipes restricts water movement over time and lead to clogs.
No matter how they happen, clogs are one of the most common causes for leaking pipes. They cause back-ups, which drive up the pressure in your pipes and lead to leaks. When it comes to fixing clogs, our first tip is to avoid using chemical drain cleaners. They might clear the clog, but they’ll also eat away at the underlying pipe. Instead, call in drain cleaning professionals. We can open up the pipes, remove clogs, and get everything back in working order.
Don’t leave a small leak untreated until it becomes a big problem. Call up The Pink Plumber as soon as you notice a home leak. We’ll send someone by as soon as possible to find it, diagnose it, and fix it.
