Water leaks come in different ways, but they have two big forms that homeowners worry about: slow leaks and fast ones. While the fast ones are noticed immediately and typically result in an emergency call for a plumber, the slow leaks are usually worse. That happens because leaking water over time can produce incredible damage, and when that leak is hidden, the same can turn into secondary damage with mold, mildew, pests and dry rot.
Addressing Water Leaks
If a water leak is found, it has to be addressed. There is no option for ignoring it if the homeowner wants to prevent further damage from occurring. Water can destroy a home very quickly and make it unlivable. However, the job is not done just stopping the leak. The damage needs to be cleaned up, the area needs to be dried out, and any damage needs to be repaired. And in the middle of all of that, the leak needs to be repaired, so it doesn’t happen again.
DIY or Professional Help?
Some leaks are very simple and straightforward. If a homeowner is good with tools and understands what plumber’s tape is, he can typically fix these problems, usually involving replacing a toilet or a sink faucet. However, once things start attaching to the actual plumbing of a home beyond just the point where threaded connections are made, it’s a better decision to bring in the help of a professional, licensed plumber.
First off, the actual plumbing grid of a home is under constant pressure. Where the feed lines to a sink or a toilet have a shut-off valve, so flow and testing can be easily controlled, that’s not the case with plumbing behind the walls. So, once the work is done, there needs to be a level of assurance that it was done right and fully tested. Otherwise, even the fix could turn into a new leak over time thanks to the municipal water pressure coming through the feed.
Second, a licensed plumber comes with frequent work experience and technical knowledge applied daily. As a result, a water leak repair service provided by a plumber comes with a full checklist of things to make sure have happened or are reviewed before the job is confirmed as complete.
Water Leaks Can Require Part Replacement, Know Which One?
Again, there is the practical ability for a homeowner to do plumbing work, but it’s not advised when big parts need to be replaced. Part of the issue is having the technical knowledge to know how to do the repair. However, a bigger challenge is the fact that plumbing parts used to build a home may not be available anymore. This is a common issue, and it can stump an amateur quickly. With a professional plumber, he will know right away if there is a mismatch, how to fix it, or how to resolve the matter with a modern part rebuild.
Plumbing part compatibility continues to be an ongoing issue in plumbing, with pipes and connections changing all the time. It can be found in jobs as simple as changing a sink disposal, which usually should only take an hour or two to complete correctly.
Avoiding Leaks Altogether
Another service a plumber can offer is leak detection. Similar to maintenance checks for home appliances like the air conditioner or heater, a plumber can also go through a home on a regular basis and check all the major plumbing connections for problems. That includes one of the most neglected big appliances, the water heater.
With a professional evaluation and check, plumbing problems that are just starting can be spotted by a trained eye and dealt with before they become something big. It’s a smart idea, and the cost avoidance can be huge. While leak detection isn’t the first thing people think of with a plumber, it does make a lot of sense as a prevention service homeowners should use at least twice a year.