Leaking pipes can quickly become more than just a minor inconvenience. If left for too long, you may be faced with costly water damage that destroys your walls, floors and belongings. Your best option is to identify the leak as soon as possible and call in a professional to complete repairs. Here are a few of the most common reasons behind leaky pipes.
Clogged Plumbing
One of the most common reasons you’ll struggle with leaks is due to clogs. Grease, hair and mineral buildup can all impact the efficiency of your pipes. Overworked kitchen sinks and toilets in older plumbing systems can’t handle large amounts of waste or food. Even with drain covers and garbage disposals, you’ll eventually have to deal with calcium buildup deep within your plumbing.
Protect your home by ensuring everyone in your household is following healthy septic habits. Avoid leaving your children alone in the bathroom where they can flush down hard objects or waste valuable water. It’s also a good idea to schedule a drain cleaning at least once a year. It’s impossible to entirely stop soap scum and hair from accumulating in the bends of your plumbing. However, your local plumbing company has state-of-the-art tools to scrape all the debris and buildup that would otherwise cause leaks and water damage.
Loose Connectors
Your home’s plumbing system consists of various pipework, valves and connectors. As time passes, these nuts and valves can become loose and begin to leak water into the walls behind your fixtures. It’s also possible they may wear out completely, compromising the water flow. Joints and drains are at a higher risk of developing leaking problems as these are often the weakest points in your plumbing.
While you may want to tighten the connectors yourself or try to troubleshoot, the and wiser better option is to schedule expert maintenance. The leaking could easily be caused by some broken internal gasket that needs to be replaced. You’ll have a hard time identifying the true cause of the leak without expert guidance and equipment.
Corrosion Damage
Copper is one of the most popular residential piping materials used in homes today. While this type of pipe is incredibly durable and resistant to rust, it can still corrode over time. Hard water will slowly eat away at a pipe’s lining over the years. Common cleaners like bleach and ammonia will also impact your pipe’s integrity. Older and improperly fitted pipes will work against each other, increasing the rate of corrosion.
Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to correct the corrosion process other than to replace the pipe. If left for too long, you run the risk of a costly plumbing emergency. A professional will be able to identify what caused the corrosion and limit the possibility of further damage in the future.
Impacted Infrastructure
Homes tend to move and shift over time, which can lead to issues like cracked drywall and sloping floors. A home’s normal aging process may jostle your pipes and potentially separate them. Floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters can also cause huge changes to your home’s infrastructure. Your pipes may leak, crack or altogether break apart. If you’re unsure what’s causing your plumbing issues, a professional likely needs to be called to appraise your home for infrastructure changes.
Excessive Water Pressure
Most homes have water pressure that is between 40 and 80 psi. Depending on where you live, you may use city water and have low water pressure in the 30s. The majority of residential pipes aren’t capable of handling any pressure above 80 psi. Too much pressure puts excessive stress on your fittings and pipes. What might look like a failed valve or connector could be a side effect of consistently too-high water pressure.
Extreme pressure often causes loud shuddering noises in your pipes as the plumbing struggles to accommodate water flow. Other signs include running out of hot water quickly and paying high monthly water bills. A plumber will test your home’s pressure with a water-pressure test gauge. If it’s too high, you can have a pressure-reducing valve installed on the main supply line.
Weather Extremes
During the winter, your pipes are exposed to extremely cold temperatures. This can cause the water inside to freeze and expand, damaging the plumbing beyond repair. Many small leaks start from frozen pipes that haven’t yet burst. Metal pipes made of materials like copper are often at higher risk of bursting, but this issue can happen to any plumbing in extreme weather conditions.
It’s vital to insulate your water lines and keep your home warm during the winter. If you notice a leak or visible pipe damage, immediately call for repairs. A pipe patch won’t hold forever and will only allow damage to spread farther over time.
Pipe Kinks
PEX pipes are a newly popular type of plumbing that are more flexible and cost-efficient than PVC or copper. However, this flexibility can lead to issues like kinking. If a PEX pipe is bent too quickly or hard during installation, a weak spot will form in the tube. This will impede the flow of water and become a high-stress point. You may notice small holes or tears in the material that cause leaking.
Professionals recommend having kinked PEX piping replaced. Attempting to correct the issue yourself often only degrades the integrity of the pipe. Rather than risking shortening the lifespan of your pipes, you should rely on an expert plumber to complete all of your repairs and installations.
Leak Prevention
Fortunately, there are many ways you can protect your pipes from leaking and damage. Schedule routine maintenance with your local plumbing company to protect your pipe’s structural integrity. A professional will tighten any loose parts and stop corrosion in its tracks. They’ll also keep you up to date on potential issues and come up with an efficient plan for replacement. You should also be regularly checking your pipes for signs of damage or leaks. Catching a plumbing issue as soon as possible will save you money and protect your property.
Expert Local Plumbing Services
Cal’s Plumbing is the top plumbing company in Tucson, AZ, and the surrounding communities. Our family-owned business has offered exceptional plumbing services since 1948. Our team believes in good old-fashioned quality and customer service. We’ll exceed all of your expectations with our honest prices and legendary expertise. You can always depend on our plumbing team to offer personalized services that cater to your unique needs. Our company also consistently maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Let us take care of all of your upcoming plumbing installations, emergency plumbing services and gas line services. We can clean and repair your drains, inspect your lines with a camera and maintain your septic system. Our team is also ready to handle large projects like tankless water heater installations, whole-home filtration systems and slab leak repair. Count on us to expertly manage all of your commercial and residential plumbing problems with precision and care. Learn more about our helpful discounts by contacting Cal’s Plumbing today.
