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A Small Drip Can Cause a Major Problem

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Melbourne Plumber

When you feel like you’re not getting the pressure from your pipes like you should, it may be because you have a leak somewhere in one of your pipes. You may even notice your water bill going up, although you aren’t using any more water than normal. While leaks are a problem, the bigger issue is the damage that may be occurring where you can’t see it. Oftentimes leaks will happen, but the water runs down the pipe for a while before it gets to a place where it drips and begins the real damage.

Mold and Mildew

If your leak happens behind a ceiling or wall in your home or office, it can take a while to notice. On the ceiling it may start with some discoloration of a ceiling tile or of the paint over the drywall. If you notice this usually yellowish coloring, you should contact a plumber immediately. If the leak happens behind a wall, it may take a lot longer to notice. What can happen is that the water starts to damage the drywall and since it stays wet it is the perfect place for mold and mildew to start growing. It can be there for a long time before you notice, and oftentimes homeowners will notice a smell emanating from that room. Mold is a pretty bad smell, so this is a good first clue.

The problem with mold and mildew is that it can be difficult to get rid of, and very costly. Depending on how widespread the mold is, it can cost up in the thousands of dollars to get rid of. Even in Melbourne, Florida, mold is a difficult problem for homeowners.

Foundational Issues

When water leaks in the basement or behind or under the foundation, it can be a real problem. When houses are built they come with downspouts which direct rain away from the house. This is because it is so important to keep as much water as possible away from the foundation. So when you have a leak that affects the concrete of the foundation, it can begin to lose its integrity over time. Having to repair a foundation is very expensive, and like the mold problem, the longer it goes unfixed, the more costly it becomes. Foundation repairs are thousands of dollars and when a home has had to have its foundation worked on, most states require this information be passed on to potential buyers. When most people learn of foundational issues, they run the other way. So if you want to protect your investment, make sure to call a plumber at the first sign of water leakage anywhere inside or outside your home.