Something no one likes dealing with is plumbing problems. Fixing them is complicated. If you don’t have the necessary skills and knowledge, you will probably end up needing to call a plumber. Due to this, many people may decide to ignore a leak after discovering one in their plumbing. This can be a disastrous mistake. Below are just a few of the reasons why.
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Leaks Get Worse with Time
You may assume that simply placing a bucket under a plumbing leak will solve the problem. While this may capture the water for a number of hours, this is not a good long-term solution. In most cases, leaks tend to get worse the longer they go on. In many cases, plumbing leaks begin as tiny holes in the pipe in question. Holes increase as more water seeps in. At some point, water will start gushing through that larger hole and begin to flood your house. The process of oxidation, which causes the creation of rust, can also quicken this process. Don’t ignore leaks even if they appear small at first.
Leaks Can Cause Serious Damage to Your Home
Over time, leaks can lead to extensive damage in your home. If a leak turns into a bigger issue, the water flooding a room can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. Carpet, furniture, electronics, and valuable personal possessions could all be turned into trash in the space of a few minutes. Water damage can be one of the most expensive kinds of home damage to repair. When homes are flooded due to natural disasters, often the building in question ends up being condemned and demolished. While the damage from a broken pipe may not be that extensive, it is still likely to be quite substantial and expensive. Overall, it’s always better to spend the small amount needed for a repair than the much larger amount that would be needed to fix all the damage done by a broken pipe.
Leaks Can Lead to the Growth of Mold
However, a worse example of water damage is the damage that can be done to your home via the growth of mold. Water that is not removed from inside a home will certainly lead to the growth of mold. Mold is dangerous to human beings. It can cause serious long term damage to the lungs if a person continually breathes it in. It can cause allergies to flare up, and it can even be bad for pets. Black mold, in particular, can be especially harmful and present a serious health threat to all your family members. Even worse, even a small leak can lead to the growth of mold in your home. Sometimes, these leaks may occur where you can’t even see them behind walls and in the crawlspace of a home. If you suspect that there are leaks in your plumbing, you should probably pay to have a leak detection performed. It will be worth it if it prevents the growth of mold in your home.
Wasted Water Costs Money
Beyond the high cost that you could have to pay for the damage done by the water originating from a leak, the water itself could also end up adding up to a significant amount. Public utility water loss is cause for an increase in the water bill. The water loss could even have an impact on the surrounding community as would be the case in many places in the Southwest that often suffer from droughts. Even if you draw water from a well, that water is not infinite and will not last forever. It’s important to run a well dry early and refilling it. Whatever the case, not fixing a leak is very wasteful, and you will end up paying for it, in the end, one way or another.
Overall, not fixing a leak as soon as you discover one can be very risky and even dangerous. In fact, you should be trying to find leaks you haven’t noticed before instead of deciding to ignore them. Doing so will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration. Your family will also be safer because their home won’t become damaged by broken pipes and they won’t have to contend with mold infestations.
