If there is a system in your home that is used multiple times a day, every single day, throughout the year, it must be your plumbing system. From washing dishes, prepping groceries, hand washing, showering, cooking, and so much more, not having running water in your home can be a massive inconvenience for your household. Yet, in spite of this undeniable reliance on their plumbing system, not many homeowners are serious about having a rigorous maintenance schedule for their plumbing, as they assume that they only need to hire a plumber when something goes wrong.
As a consequence, defects in your plumbing hardware and the system's operation will worsen with time, increasing the risk of burst pipes and other emergencies. One sign of degrading hardware that should not be overlooked is recurring leaks. Check out the following factors that would put your residential plumbing at an increased risk of leaks.
Immense pressure
Not many homeowners will think that intense water pressure is an issue to be wary of, as they would much rather have their water flow at an increased rate than have to contend with diminished pressure. However, you should know that too much water pressure is detrimental to the plumbing hardware. When your plumbing system is working at optimum, its regulators will ensure that the water pressure is neither too much nor too little.
When the regulators are jeopardized, they can no longer control this pressure, allowing it to build to a point that it begins to impair the functioning of the plumbing pipes. When this starts to happen, you will likely notice loud hammering sounds whenever you open a faucet. You may also hear the plumbing pipes vibrate behind the walls. If you do not have the regulators replaced, the plumbing hardware will succumb to cracks and could eventually burst.
Degraded seals
Your plumbing network consists of multiple pipes that are interconnected to span the scope of your property. To keep these pipes secured onto each other, plumbers will fasten the various joints formed with rubber seals. Rubber seals remain the top material for this application since it is airtight, so the pipes will be at a reduced threat of springing leaks prematurely. Nonetheless, rubber seals are not invulnerable to wear.
Continual exposure to temperature changes from the interchanging hot and cold water that flows through the pipes will cause steady hardening, to the point that the rubber is no longer pliable. This lack of elasticity makes them susceptible to cracking, which allows for water to seep through the pipes. To make sure you are not living with undetected leaks due to compromised seals, it is advisable to have a plumber inspect the hardware on occasion and replace damaged seals as needed.
For more information on plumbing, contact a company near you.