Leaking Water Pipes

If you spot a leaking Pipe

During your monthly inspection (or regular use of your bathroom), you may spot a leak. When this occurs, don’t panic. For big leaks where the water flow is significant, simply turn the water off and call an Elite Rooter plumber. Smaller issues you may be able to take care of yourself by replacing a seal, tightening a faucet or even cleaning out a fixture. There are many helpful websites and tutorials available to assist you with at-home plumbing. See what you can do on your own, but don’t hesitate to contact Elite Rooter when you feel that the job is too big for you and requires a professional. We can assess the situation and find ways to prevent the issue from occurring again.

Elite Rooter plumbers are fully trained in the use of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to solve all of your plumbing and drain problems, including sewer repair and sewer line replacement.

Leak Detection

Detecting water leaks is not usually as simple as watching a bead of water collect on the bottom edge of a pipe.  Even if you find such as bead it’s not so easy to find the source of the leak unless you have the professional know how and equipment of a trained experienced leak technician.  Whether you know something is wrong with a pipe in your home or on your property, or you merely suspect it, we can perform a detailed analysis and provide you with a diagnosis.  Finding the leak as quickly as possible and fixing it is very important to ensure the problem does not cause secondary damage and cause structural damage to your home or business which may cause avoidable expenses in the future with water damage.

Leaky pipes and drains are perhaps the most common problems in any plumbing system and they can occur for a variety of reasons.  Below are some common leaks found in homes and businesses.

Leaky water pipes

Over time pipes that carry water through your home can fail.  There are several materials from which your pipes could be made of.  Galvanized water pipes corrode and leak over time.  Copper pipes can fail at joints or fittings or can develop pinhole leaks.  Pex pipes can fail if not installed correctly.  PVC pipes can fail along the pipe or at fittings, which fail.  No matter the material, new or old pipes and fittings can fail and can leak, often starting with a small leak, leading to a larger leak over time.  The quicker a leak can be repaired the better.

Slab leaks

If your home sits on a concrete slab, then is may be susceptible to a slab leak. This can make itself evident through cracks in the concrete floor or foundation caused by a water leak underneath your home that has eroded the soil.  Due to the location of these water pipes underneath the slab, we utilize acoustic technology to listen for signs that there is a leak.  We can also use this technology to check for leaks within walls, behind cabinets and under floors in the home.  We also use infrared cameras to spot hot water leaks in the same locations.

Water heater leaks

Water heaters have a lifespan of approximately 5-8 years.  Tanks get naturally deteriorated over time and usage and sometimes the tank can fail earlier than normal or if you are fortunate may last many years longer than normal.  If you see water pooling at the bottom of the water heater, it may be a sign to act quickly and have the water heater replaced. A water heater tank holds a lot of water and can leak into the rest of your home and cause serious water damage.

Dishwasher drains

The drain coming from the dishwasher to the drain under the sink sometimes develops a leak and causes dampness/moisture in kitchen cabinets.  This can happen through blockages, breaks in the line or simply being coming loose from the main sewer drain.

Leaky faucets

Leaky faucets do not seem to create a lot of damage but can do if left alone, especially if the water is allowed to drip behind cabinets and countertops.  Leaky faucets also can waste a tremendous amount of water, which is not good for the environment and your wallet.

Leaking emergency shut off valves/Leaking angle stops and supply lines

There are usually emergency shut off valves, also known as angle stops under each fixture in your home or business.  They are very important to your plumbing system.  These devices should be checked regularly to ensure they could be closed properly in case of emergency.  Over time these shut off valves become frozen and corroded which make it very difficult to turn and close.  It is very important to check these shut off valves regularly since they are a primary culprit to a lot of water leaks in homes and businesses.  Supply lines to fixtures like faucets and toilets should be steel braided to lower the chance of these supply lines bursting and causing water damage to kitchen cabinets, vanity cabinets and the rest of the building structure.  If any of these devices are leaking call us immediately.

Why Neglecting any leak is risky

The key to water leak detection is catching issues early in their development before too much damage occurs.  We can ensure this is the case when you call the plumbing leak experts at Elite Rooter.  Stay vigilant when it comes to your plumbing system.  If you notice wet spots on walls or ceilings, dampness in your lower kitchen cabinets, vanity cabinets, water heater, puddles of water on your flooring or a drop in your water pressure there could be a serious leak that needs to be addressed immediately.  Give us a call today if you suspect that your plumbing system has a leak.