Due to continuous usage, plumbing issues are bound to happen in any home over the years. Many homeowners need to learn about signs of underlying plumbing issues. Some problems, like a dripping faucet or a running toilet, will alert you to the sound, but how do you detect others if they don’t make any noise? For this reason, hidden plumbing issues can go undetected until it’s too late.
Minor leaks are some of the most common hidden issues in your plumbing system that can cause significant damage. For instance, a minor pipe leak can ruin hardwood floors and ceilings. Although minor leaks might be brushed off as negligible issues, they can be challenging and lead to expensive repairs. Various other matters besides leaks can cause major plumbing problems in your home. Keep reading to find out what those signs are.
1. Bad Odors
Unusual smells in your home can signify a significant plumbing issue. Foul odors can come from a backup, clog, or sewage gas resulting in an unbearable living space. Your home’s plumbing system is designed to expel any bad odor through vents that channel it to the roof and trap it in drain traps. When the drain traps run dry or the vents crack, they allow gas to escape into your home. If there’s a musty smell in your home, that means mold, which indicates that you have a hidden leak.
2. Water Discoloration
When the water from your taps comes with an unusual color that could be brown, green, or yellow, it signifies a serious plumbing issue. The most likely culprit of discolored water is rust in your pipes. Rust infestation in your pipes poses the risk of developing leaks.
In extreme cases, your pipes could even burst. This serious issue could call for repiping. Thus, you need to contact a plumbing company like Dan’s Plumbing to fix it.
3. Low Water Pressure
One of the signs that you might have a hidden plumbing issue is a sudden change in the water pressure. If it happens in one bathroom shower or faucet, it could be clogged in the piping network.
However, if all the outlets experience low water pressure, you might face broken or cracked pipes behind your walls or in your foundation. Continuous leaks in these places can cause significant damage to your home, such as the house sinking to the ground, warped walls, and mold growth. So, it’s best to hire professional plumbers to address the problem.
4. Slow Drains
Slow drains are a common occurrence in many homes. They’re not usually a serious issue, as they could only mean a pipe or drain is clogged. Food debris, soap, hair, grease, and tree roots are the usual culprits. You can fix this problem with a plunger, but slow drains should be considered a major issue if it happens repeatedly.
In worst-case scenarios, clogs might be hidden in the pipes in your walls or underground. So, you’ll need to call an expert. Professional plumbers will thoroughly inspect your pipes using special tools, such as cameras, to detect hidden problems that could lead to long-term consequences.
5. Bubbling Wall Or Ceiling Paint
Because plumbing pipes are usually hidden behind the walls of your home, you’ll hardly notice when they start to leak. The moisture in your walls or ceiling causes the paint to bubble, peel off, or blacken. When you start noticing these signs, then it’s highly likely that you have a slow leak in your pipes. In that case, get your pipes checked and fixed by a professional before mold or mildew develops on your walls, which will cause health concerns like difficulty breathing and coughing.
6. Running Meter When Not In Use
If all the water outlets in your home are turned off, and the meter is still active, that’s not a good sign. This could signify that you have a water leak in your system. Such leaks are challenging to detect. Avail of an expert’s services so they can locate the leak and fix leaking pipes.
7. High Water Bills
Your water bill should remain reasonable if you use water moderately, but if it suddenly shoots up for no apparent reason, there’s definitely a problem.
If you haven’t filled your swimming pool, watered your lawn, or hosted a family gathering recently, then you’ll need to do an investigation. The most likely culprit in this situation is a leak in your home’s plumbing system. You need to enlist the help of a plumbing professional to handle the matter since it might take a lot of work to determine the leak’s location.
Conclusion
Hidden plumbing issues in your system can wreak havoc on your home if they go unnoticed. They can develop into significant problems that can be expensive to repair in the long run. So, if you notice any of the signs mentioned above, search for a reliable plumbing professional immediately.
