When dealing with residential plumbing systems, leaks can sometimes seem like a fact of life. While well-maintained pipes might go for years without trouble, plumbing leaks can sometimes feel like they confirm the adage that when it rains, it pours. However, your home's plumbing system doesn't need to be a constant source of leaks, clogs, and other frustrating issues.
Unfortunately, playing whack-a-mole with your home's leaks isn't necessarily the right approach to building a cost-effective and reliable plumbing system. If you're currently dealing with various annoying leaks in your home, this guide will walk you through some steps to ensure a leak-free plumbing system can be more than an unrealistic pipe dream.
Why Do Plumbing Systems Leak?
To address repeated leaks in your home, you must first understand why residential plumbing systems develop leaks. Aside from physical damage, the most common causes of leaking pipes are poor installation, water chemistry issues, and unreasonably high water pressure. These problems can lead to persistent leaks that can return no matter how often you repair them.
Unfortunately, repairing these leaks can be like treating the symptoms rather than the underlying disease. Since the underlying issues will remain, you will inevitably discover new leaks in your plumbing. Depending on the severity of the problem, these leaks may appear in areas where they can cause serious damage, such as behind walls or ceilings.
How Can You Determine the Cause of Persistent Leaks?
One or two leaks can be singular events that don't necessarily indicate an underlying issue with your home's plumbing. However, a greater number of leaks, especially over a relatively short period, are a warning of deeper trouble. In these cases, continuing to repair the leaks as they occur will likely cost you more money in the long run.
Instead, contact a professional plumber to help you investigate the overall condition of your home's plumbing. A plumber can look for signs of corrosion or help you test your water for issues leading to a breakdown of your plumbing. Sometimes, your plumbing may simply be old and nearing the end of its natural lifespan.
What Should You Do to Address Persistent Leaks?
First and foremost, you should address the problem causing leaks to form in your plumbing. If you have a water chemistry issue, you may need to invest in a whole-home acid neutralizer, filter, or water softener. Water pressure issues are typically much easier to address and may only require adjusting the flow at your home's pressure regulator.
However, you should still have a plumber check the condition of your plumbing. If the problem has been ongoing for long enough to cause leaks, you may also need to replace sections of your plumbing. While eliminating the underlying issue will stop further deterioration, replacing worn-out sections of plumbing will ensure you can avoid future leaks and water damage.
For more information, contact a local plumber.