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Finding Your Plumber | Myrtle Beach, SC
No one wants to find a water leak in their home, but sometimes you should look for them to ensure that there isn’t a leaking pipe destroying your wall or flooring underneath your nose. While sometimes you can find signs of a water leak such as mold, wetness, or peeling paint, other times they are much more hidden and require a plumber to find them.
If you have a home over 25 years old, you should be very aware that there may be water leaks hiding behind your walls. This is also true if you have an older home with a plumbing system replaced over 25 years ago. While it would be nice if plumbing could last forever, that is simply not the truth. For those with older plumbing systems, it is extremely important that you routinely take a minute to check your connections between pipes, the water heater, pumps, hoses, and any valves to any other appliances in your home.
One big sign that you have a water leak is if you discover discoloration, oxidation, or rusting near any of the components you just checked. There is no good reason for any of the signs to be present and less water is slowly starting to eat away at them. In addition, if chemicals have leaked and are eating away at the material on your plumbing, this will also lead to a leak or a hole that can cause a lot of water damage very quickly.
This is the easiest way to find a water leak in your home, but unfortunately, it is not the only way. Many water leaks are hidden away since you cannot visibly see most of the plumbing in your home. There could potentially be a water leak behind a wall right now that you cannot see that is slowly eating away at the drywall. For this reason, you need to be diligent and keep track of all the small ways that a water leak can show its presence.
Waiting too long to call a plumber and deal with a water leak can result in mold and mildew growing behind your walls or under your ceiling, damaging the wood in your home and your health. In addition, water damage must be reported on a real estate listing and can lead to a diminished overall home value. This is not even counting the cost of repairing massive water leaks and damage. With all this in mind, we have compiled a list of some of the best ways to look for water leaks in your Myrtle Beach, SC house.
Keep an Eye On Your Monthly Water Bill
Anytime your water bill jumps up, you should be concerned, even if you are not worried about a water leak. This can be a sign that something is not working efficiently within your home, but most of the time, it will indicate a leak hidden somewhere. If you notice that your water bill increases more than once and it’s steadily increasing over time even though you are not using any more water, you really have reason to be concerned. A plumber is the best place to start in the situation because you have an entire home that is impossible to self-diagnose, but a plumber has the tools it takes to get to the bottom of the issue quickly.
Keep in mind that the issue may be out of sight, which means that you will not be able to find it no matter how many times you look for a water leak under the sink or check out the toilet in your bathroom. Water leaks can be in the wall, but they can also be in the ground as you can have a water main or sewage line that is leaking. This is just one more reason why it is beneficial to have a plumber come out and look at the situation at your Myrtle Beach, SC home. This is just one more reason why it is beneficial to have a plumber come out and take a look at the situation at your Myrtle Beach, SC home.
Do the Water Meter Check
If you suspect that you have a water leak in your home, the water meter trick is a great way to determine if you do or not once and for all. Walk around your home and turn off everything you can think of, from your faucets to your washing machine and dishwasher. Then go outside and look at your water meter. If you see a change even though everything is off, there is a good chance you have a significant leak somewhere. However, you won’t see the change right away in most cases. You need to leave everything off for two or more hours and then check again. If you see a meter change, this is proof there is a slow leak occurring somewhere out of sight. It is also an indication that it is time to call a plumber.
Try the Dye Test
Did you know that 30% of the water consumption in your home comes from your toilet? This means that if there is a leak in your toilet, it can cause large problems quickly. It is easy to check for a leak if you are worried about your toilet or simply have an older toilet and are unsure if it is still working correctly. Drop a few drops of food coloring in the tank and then walk away for ten minutes or so. If there is color in your toilet bowl when you come back, you know your toilet is leaking, and it is time to call a plumber.
Do you suspect there may be a leak in your home? Don’t delay in calling a plumber. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach can help you. Call us today to get to the bottom of your home plumbing system.