(And What You Should Do)

Most of us are aware that leaking pipes cost us money, but we tend to ignore the issue for far longer than we should. This is a problem because no homeowner can save money by ignoring their plumbing issues. Pipes are not known to repair themselves, so the leak will grow bigger, which will inevitably continue to add an increasingly higher balance to your water bills. Stay with us as we elaborate more on both the problem and the solution.

You Pay for Water that You Don’t Even Get to Use

All households are charged for every drop of water that leaks through the pipes that make up that building plumbing system. Therefore, if you have even a single leaky pipe in your building’s entire plumbing system, you are paying for water usage, without even using it. If anything, the inevitable loss of water pressure means the household is paying more in water bills, while using even less water than they normally would (without leaking pipes).

You Pay for Wasted Water that Damages Your Home

If a leaking pipe is detected early on, it could be repaired quite easily. If that leak goes unheeded or unnoticed long enough, the pipe will burst. A busted waterpipe will continue to gush water at high speed until the time it is noted, located, and replaced. Unfortunately, a burst pipe could flood your home in minutes, leading to not just a huge water bill, but also damaged flooring, furniture, and carpeting. Therefore, a leaking pipe is a ticking timebomb and a precursor of extensive property and financial damages to come.

Detecting Leaking Pipes: How to Prevent Wastage of Water and Money

The best way to check for leaking pipes is to look for them with a flashlight. If the pipes are leaking, look for:

• Water drops dripping from one or more sections of the pipes
• Water stains on the ground or nearby walls
• Flashlight reflecting off glistening waterdrops on the pipes

If the plumbing system is as easily accessible with a flashlight, then look for indirect signs such as:

• Gradual or rapid increase in water bills
• Loss of water pressure
• Damp, mould, and an increase in insect population
• Dark spots on a wet wall and musty odours

If you have any reason to suspect that there is a water leak somewhere in your plumbing system, search online with the phrase plumbers near me and book an inspection. A search for plumbers near me on a site like mybuilder.com, for example, will connect you with tradespeople willing to take on the job. The longer you ignore it, the more you will end up paying in both water bills and plumbing repair/installation fees. Address the issue early on and you should be able to take care of it at a fraction of the cost.

Aside from paying more than ever in water bills every month, it’s quite likely you will also have to pay a lot more later. Entire walls and floors might need replacement, and in worst case scenarios, you may also need to pay for pest control and mould removal.