Out of all the mishaps that can happen to a home and its plumbing, the leak is the one that is most likely to occur in everyone, at some point. That’s because in many ways, a leak is a bit like a fever; it may be a symptom of many different possible problems.
That’s why water leak detection can be an important preventive measure for homeowners. While a leak when it first occurs isn’t necessarily a serious emergency, it’s your “early warning system” that a potentially larger, more expensive problem is developing.
If you don’t address it, your small leak can turn into a big crisis. We’ve got some factors you should look into that can put you in more danger of getting leaks somewhere along your plumbing network.
Old Pipes
If you have an old home, you cannot discount this risk. There are some homes in Texas that are well over 50 years old, and there are even a few that are over 100 years in age!
If the plumbing in such a home is still original, then the sheer age of the pipes themselves may pose a risk of leaks. But why?
The simple answer is that age leads to a weakening of materials. An older home from the early 20th century, for example, likely used cast iron as part of its sewage drainage pipe system.
Even iron, after being subjected to 50, 70 or even 100 years of constant exposure to used, sewer water, may suffer from metal fatigue, which can cause a break or a leak.
Rust &/Or Corrosion
It’s actually often tied in with the age of pipes, since time plays a role, but rust can weaken pipes enough that they can spring leaks.
This happens as a result of years of constant exposure to certain elements in the water. The other issue, corrosion, is when chemicals in the water actually cause some of the pipe to dissolve.
Overuse of drain pipe cleaner, for example, can cause this, as highly corrosive chemicals are often included in these formulations, and even plastic PVC pipes are vulnerable after repeated exposure.
High Water Pressure
You might not realize it, but high water pressure is a physical force. If you exert this force on your pipes, every day, year in, year out, this can eventually cause pipes to weaken and start leaking.
You can still get high water pressure for your shower without turning the pressure on at the pipes.
Just get a high-pressure shower head instead, and revert the pressure in your home to the actual tolerance levels the pipes are designed for.
Water Chemistry
This is one factor you have very little control over. The chemistry of the actual water coming into your home may cause issues with that will result in water leak detection. Chemicals in the water, or simply its natural acidity due to the pH level can act as a corrosive agent given enough time.
Leaks can happen in any home in Dallas, TX, but by exercising some occasional water leak detection, you can get the jump on these problems. Having some water leak repair done now, with a small problem, prevents a bigger, more expensive issue in the future.
