Spotting concealed plumbing leaks in your Los Angeles residence can be a difficult endeavor. Yet, you can expertly avert your home from possible water damage by comprehending the critical components that make up a plumbing system.
An unexpected hike in your water bill might be one of the first signs that a concealed leak is lurking somewhere in your home. Track your water use diligently, and don't hesitate to reach out to us if you detect any sudden, unexplained increases.
Another tellsign is the presence of mold or mildew. Areas that should not exhibit such conditions are often found to be musty when mold and mildew are present. The odor is a dead giveaway. Mold and mildew are very good at thriving in the moist environment that should just about guarantee no mold or mildew would be present. If anything is leaking behind walls or under floors, you might expect to see mold or mildew, and you'd expect to see it in the walls or any surfaces in the area that adjoin the walls.
Moreover, when all fixtures are turned off, pay attention to the sound of dripping or running water, as this could indicate a hidden leak somewhere in your plumbing system.
Pay close attention to the structure and appearance of your home. Water stains on ceilings or walls, or peeling paint and wallpaper, can be signs of a hidden leak. In severe cases, you might find the flooring buckling or the ceiling sagging. Another thing to consider is the age and material of your plumbing system. If your house was built a long time ago, there is a good chance it still has a plumbing system made of materials that are prone to corrosion and decay, which means it also has a better chance of developing leaks. Even if you have a more modern home, it can be accommodating to maintenance made necessary by the plumbing system itself. Understanding the layout of that system, if you have access to documentation, can be equally helpful.
Also, influencing plumbing leaks around your home, are the ground conditions. If you live in a place like Los Angeles, where the soil shifts and seismic activity is common, expect some stress on your underground piping. That said, you might think it would be better to worry about your buried plumbing when you can actually see and get to it. But the truth is, any regular occasion you have to be outside around your home's plumbing systems is a good moment to accomplish two things:
1. Inspect and assess.
2. Resolve anything either you, your plumbing systems, or your grounds might be doing to be in either risk of plumbing leaks or losing some water somewhere unexpectedly (in which case, minor plumbing risk assessment becomes a major neighborly lookout).
In short, team vigilance on all these aspects with smart plumbing technologies and good, old-fashioned neighborhood communication, and that's the best game plan for reducing the risk of hidden leaks in your plumbing.