A plumbing or water leak is never a fun time. Of course, they’re also quite pernicious in terms of their consequences. Household leaks, suffered over some time, can cause some real damage to your house before you detect it. That said, with some careful preparations and worthwhile maintenance, the chance of leaks are reduced, and if you see one, you’ll be able to deal with it more easily.
A good place to start is to know where the water valve to your mains is, and exactly how to turn it off should you need to. It’s best to be without water entirely for a few hours than to allow a burst pipe to drench every element of architecture in your home.
In addition, depending on where you live, flood defences are also essential to put up, because overflowing rivers or pooling water is perhaps the rawest form of ‘water leak’ there could be.
At the very least, having the contact number for a water disaster recovery specialist is a good idea. Before it gets to that point, however, consider the following:
Warm Your Pipes In Winter
Running warm water through your pipes in winter can help them avoid freezing up, which can cause problems of its own, and sometimes lead to fractures or leaks. Simply run the hot tap for a few minutes every day, or morning and night. You’ll be able to ensure that they remain functional even during the colder temperatures.
In some cases, this can be part of housesitting if you’re to travel away during the cold season – trusting a neighbor to help you with this is key.
Plumbing Inspections
Plumbing inspections every five years can be helpful. Implement when you notice leaks, rattling pipes, or knocking sounds which may come from the boiler.
Plumbers are able to properly assess the health of your system via water flow, and can check the readings carefully. It’s also a good idea to consider inspections should you smell your pipes, a rotting smell or sewage. This can all signify that there’s a blockage or a larger, structural issue which needs immediate attention. Keep the number for a service like this in your address book. Quick attendance to the issue is key.
Check Your Boiler Pressure
Your boiler pressure can signify all kinds of issues, as if the improper delivery of hot water to your radiators or taps can attest. The water pressure can be checked by the levelling system on the display.
In general you can use the inbuilt nozzle to top that up where required. If water still isn’t being delivered carefully, if the water pressure is higher than it should be, or if there’s a fault, then make sure to contact an emergency boiler specialist or plumber with this capability.
They will help a boiler issue from turning into a genuine leak, and in many cases can prevent damage to the room or cubby space the boiler is heated in. Remember that service inspections to the boiler is essential too.
With this advice, we hope you can avoid household leaks in the most reliable fashion.