Need A Plumber? Signs Of A Plumbing Leak | Hurst, TX

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When it comes to a leak, there’s no such thing as a small leak. Even if you’ve only got a few drips, you could be looking at some serious problems if you allow a leak to go too long without having a quality plumber make repairs.

The problem is that it’s not always easy for homeowners in Hurst, TX to discover a leak until some major damage has already occurred. A leak can’t be fixed unless a homeowner knows that it’s happening, and in many cases, leaks occur deep inside your home’s plumbing system, making it very difficult to find a leak unless you know what you’re looking for.

Luckily, there are a few telltale signs that you’ve got a leak that can help you find the problem and call a plumber before the damage gets out of control. Here are a few things you need to look for in your home!

Unexplained Water Bill Increases

During the winter, there’s a good chance that your water bill might increase if you had family come stay with you for the holidays. Between increased showers, cooking for more people and washing dishes, it’s natural for your water bill to rise during a month when you have long-term guests. If you’re watering your lawn in the spring, that could be another reason your water bill might increase.

But if you didn’t have any reason to see your water bills go up, you’ve probably got an issue that requires a visit from a plumber. Odds are, you’ve got a leak of some kind that you’ve yet to discover, because a leak of just two drips a minute will waste an extra four gallons of water per week in a home with three faucets. Over time, that really adds up, and your wallet will feel the pinch if you don’t contact a plumbing expert at your first opportunity.

If you see anything unusual on your water bill, your first call should be to your local water company to make sure there’s nothing unusual happening. If they confirm the bill is right, your second call should be to a qualified professional who can keep the damage from getting worse.

Stained Walls and Ceilings

Your walls can be a telltale sign that something isn’t right, if you know how to look. Your walls hide your pipes, so if there’s a leak coming from that section of your plumbing system, your walls might take on a little bit of discoloration from water pooling inside them.

This is a situation where you must call a plumber, because if water is pooling in your wall, you’ve probably had a leak for several weeks or even months. Getting inside your wall will take expert work to ensure that further damage doesn’t occur, and only a professional will have the insurance necessary to protect you from further repair costs that can come with penetrating your wall so that they can repair the pipe.

The longer you wait, the more discolored your wall will likely become. Eventually, a wall that remains untreated will end up exploding from water buildup, which will require several extensive repairs to your home. Be sure that you’re paying attention so you can ensure your home never gets to that point.

Cracks in the Foundation

Your home also has plenty of pipes underneath the foundation, and when something happens underground, there’s a good chance that your foundation will end up damaged. Concrete does naturally resist water damage, but it can only take so much before it starts to weaken and eventually crack.

If your foundation does crack, you’re in for a world of problems that go well beyond the expertise of a plumber. A cracked foundation will end up causing your home to sink into the ground, resulting in a tilt on one side and potential damage to the overall structure of your house.

As you might expect, any changes in the foundation’s structure require a call to an expert at the first opportunity. A foundation problem isn’t always going to be related to plumbing problems, so you might want to consult a foundation expert before you call a plumber in this situation. But if a leak does exist under your Hurst, TX home, you’re going to need plumbing services to keep foundation damage from happening a second time.

Strange Odors

If you’ve watched any kind of movie with a young child going into the basement, you might think it’s normal for a basement to be damp or emit a musty odor. Here’s the thing: it’s actually not normal at all, and it’s a sign that you might need a plumber. If you’ve got a strange odor coming from your basement, there’s a good chance that it’s because of mold and mildew, caused by water pooling from a leak.

A leaky pipe in your basement provides an ideal source for mold spores, because it provides a constant source of water and creates dark, damp conditions that make it easy for mold to grow. It’s actually very fortunate that these conditions also create a smell, because if they didn’t, it might take months or even years for you to get close enough to notice the damage and call a plumber.

An odor, on the other hand, is immediately recognizable, so if you smell something different coming from the basement, you know that it’s time to call for a plumbing expert. It might end up being something completely unrelated, but it’s always better to have an expert examine the situation and rule something out before things end up getting out of hand.

At Tioga Plumbing & Electric, we’ve got the expertise and experience needed to address plumbing problems in your home whenever you might find them. If you spot a problem that requires help from a professionally licensed plumber, give us a call! We’ll take a look and make any repairs necessary, giving you the peace of mind that comes from knowing the job has been done right the first time!