Common Water Leaks In The Home And How To Fix Them

We frequently overlook the plumbing in our homes. Having water in the house is wonderful, from simply turning on the tap to taking a cooling shower first thing in the morning. But this power also has drawbacks, like the possibility of water leaks or, more frequently, burst pipes. Water leaks frequently begin so tiny as to be imperceptible at first, but they can soon get expensive in terms of your water bill and repairs.

Identifying and understanding the most typical water leaks and their fixes is crucial for cost-effective home (and financial) security.

How To Detect A Water Leak In Your Home

It is necessary to identify the existence of a water leak before attempting to fix it. When it comes to monitoring your home and water usage in order to identify and notify you of a leak, a smart water leak detector like Leak Repair can be quite helpful. You won't even need to worry about it because the Leak Bot can even schedule a professional plumber to fix the leak.

How to check a water leak in your Home

As an alternative, you can monitor your water usage to find any leaks in your house. If there has been a sudden and significant increase, there may be a leak. Another option is to take a reading from the metre, wait two hours, make sure you don't use any water and then take another reading. You have a leak if your usage has increased.

How To Fix The Most Common Water Leaks

A common occurrence in most homes is probably the constant drip, drip, drip of a tap. Numerous factors, including normal wear and tear, a build-up of debris, or when someone doesn't turn the tap tight enough, can cause this. If the valve is overtightened, it may even leak and cause damage to the tap's washer.

It's a good idea to examine your leaking tap to find the source of the problem. First, close the water supply by using a stopcock or an isolator valve. After that, if it's comfortable for you, turn on the tap and check the washer.

It might have some debris accumulated in it, which you can clear out. Alternatively, there's a chance the washer needs to be replaced because of damage. Replace the washer only if it feels safe to do so. If not, a skilled plumber or handyman will be pleased to help.

How to Fix a Leaky Radiator

A common source of water leaks is a dripping radiator. Fixing a leaking radiator as soon as possible is essential because it can seriously harm your floor, ceiling, and even the wiring. There are several potential causes of a water leak in the radiator, including a leaking valve or valve spindle. Alternatively, the pipe coupling or corrosion may be the cause of the leak.

The majority of radiator repairs necessitate emptying and reloading the system. Moreover, the parts of a radiator can be challenging to learn and rather small. When dealing with a radiator leak, it's usually best to call after locating the leak and shutting off the water supply.

How to Fix a Leaking Plastic Water pipe joint

In the event that you discover a leak in a plastic or PVC water pipe joint, there's a chance you can resolve the problem on your own. Keep in mind that water can spread out over a large distance before leaking, so you need to be certain of the precise joint where the leak is occurring. Determine the precise location of the leak and whether it is a pipe or a water pipe joint by first completely drying the area.

Once the leak's origin has been identified, shut off the water to the impacted area or, if simpler, the main water supply.

After that, start repairing the leak. Remove and replace the pipe's damaged section if you feel capable. But you might not have the necessary cutting tools and equipment for this. As an alternative, you can quickly and easily make a temporary fix with rubber or silicone repair tape. Because repair epoxy can conform to the shape of the joint, it can be even simpler to use in areas where plastic water pipe joints leak.

How to Fix a Leaking Plastic Water Pipe

The procedure for fixing a leaky plastic water pipe joint is largely the same for leaking plastic water pipes. Make sure you locate the leak precisely, cut off the water supply, and then replace the damaged water pipe or use a temporary solution like tape and epoxy.

As an alternative, you can quickly make the necessary repairs with a rubber and hose clamp, which will buy you some time until you can get a plumber out to fix it.

How to Fix a Leaking Water Pipe Underground

A burst garden pipe is another typical home water leak. Water rising up in the garden or a big puddle formed in the garden after little to no rainfall are some signs of this. It is actually best to hire a qualified plumber to handle the problem for you because it can be challenging to get to the subterranean leaky water pipe.

If you install a smart leak detector in your home, it can not only find the leak and notify you via an app, but it can also schedule a plumber to come out and fix it. 

How to Fix Leaking from the Bottom of the Toilet

Given how unhygienic it is, a leaking toilet is likely one of the worst leaks in the house. But there are frequently a few easy solutions. After flushing the toilet, if you discover a leak at the base or bottom of the toilet, it might be a problem with the rubber seal at the base of the toilet or the tee bolts holding the toilet in place.

Make sure to stop using the toilet immediately if you see a leak coming from the bottom and you are certain it is coming from the base. The water that leaks will be contaminated waste from the toilet bowl. 

You’ll need disinfectant to hand when clearing up from the leak and you do not want to damage the floor or ceiling underneath with unhealthy water.

Make sure the toilet is in the proper position before attempting to fix this kind of leak. You'll also need an adjustable wrench and a replacement wax ring to loosen and tighten bolts. Some people might think they are capable of doing this repair on their own. But, calling in a local plumber to solve the problem is frequently safer and more affordable if you don't have the necessary repair tools on hand.

If the leak is not coming from the toilet's base, there are several other possible sources. For instance, a significant leak may result from a crack in the bowl. The toilet will typically need to be completely replaced in this situation.

Additional leaks might result from harm to the float and ballcock. Should this happen, water will keep building up in the cistern, leading to an overflow. Analogously, if the feed line is worn, water may keep getting into the tank, which increases the risk of a leak and overflow.

How to Fix A Leaking Shower or Bath

There are various parts of your bath or shower enclosure that might be leaking. The seal surrounding the overflow waste and plughole should be checked first. An overflow or leak could result from a broken seal.

The pipes that link the shower hose or bathroom taps to the water supply should also be inspected. You might have to take off the bath's side panel in order to find this leak. These possibly leaky pipes for the shower could be concealed by a wall. Nevertheless, tile lifting usually makes it simple to identify the damage.  The leaky pipes can cause a lot of damage, so don't wait until it's too late to fix them.

Lastly, a common cause of bath leaks is deteriorating silicone around the bathtub, which lets moisture seep through. In light of this, it's critical to regularly seal the bathtub to avoid moisture damage in the surrounding area.

Do you need a one-time fix for a leak in your house? You can rely on our skilled repair staff to quickly restore functionality.