Cleaning Effectively At Home

Posted on: 24 January 2018

When a pipe bursts in your home, it's difficult for you to ignore it. Often, you'll see a puddle on your floor, a drip coming from your ceiling, and other obvious signs. However, there can be times that you have a small leak in a pipe that may go unnoticed for a long time—especially if the leak is near a room or part of your home that you seldom visit. An ignored leaky pipe can lead to significant water damage. And, while a contractor can clean up the mess for you and replace any walls, flooring, and other elements throughout your home that are ruined, it's ideal to notice early warning signs of a leak so that you can deal with the issue in a timely manner. Here are some subtle signs that can suggest a leak.

Changes To Your Water Consumption

It's valuable to carefully check each water bill that you receive. When you look at the price, consider how much you owe versus that of previous months. Generally, this amount will be consistent unless there's been a major change in water usage, such as it's summertime and you've opened up your pool. If there's an unexplained spike in your price, it's often a sign that there's a leak in a pipe. This will cause your water usage to increase, so you should get investigating upon receiving your bill.

Less Flow Than Previously

Whereas a ruptured pipe can leave certain faucets without any water, this won't typically happen with a slow leak. Instead, you'll customarily notice a decrease in flow and pressure coming from taps, showers, and other water fixtures throughout your home. While there are a few other potential causes for a decrease in your water flow, such as a buildup of calcium or rust in your fixtures, you should always consider this issue to be a potential sign of a slow leak in a pipe.

Changes In The Smell Of A Room

The water that flows out of a small leak in a pipe might not be enough to pool on the floor and catch your eye, but it can often alert another part of your body—your nose. When water gets where it shouldn't, it can often cause rot and growth of mold. This means that when you're at home, you should always keep your olfactory sense alert for changes in odor. If you're aware of such a change, it's time to call a water damage restoration contractor to get to the bottom of the issue.