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Besides actually having to wade through ankle deep water in your home, there are warning signs that you may be facing some major plumbing problems. Water Mold Fire Restoration, 800-905-0277, wants you to be aware of some of the more common signs that you may have a plumbing problem or maybe on the verge of having one.
Specific Areas to Inspect
In order to detect the presence of any visible water damage or mold you will probably need some additional light while you go around the house hunting for a problem. Make sure you take a flashlight along with you when you go searching for these issues. That way you will easily be able to peek into those dark corners and tucked away spaces, like in closets, underneath sinks and vanities, and beneath stairwells.
Signs to Look For
Put on your inspector hat and let’s start searching:
Pipe Discoloration – look under sinks and vanities and at any exposed water pipes, paying special attention to joints where pipes fit together and the pipe fittings. If you see mineral buildups or discolorations on a water line or pipe, it can be a good indication of a problem soon to happen. A slow leak will leave mineral deposits, bluish-green in color if the pipes are copper. Also remember that water lines are under constant pressure on average 40 to 45 pounds psi (pounds per square inch)but not to exceed 60 psi and slow leak can suddenly turn into a major one.
Unpleasant Sewer Odors – every drain requires a trap and a vent, commonly called a stack. The trap holds a small amount of water to block any sewer gases. The stack allows the water to flow freely through the pipe in the proper direction. If you smell sewer gas there is a drain problem that needs immediate attention or you could be facing a situation where sewage backs up into your home.
Drains Running Slowly – a slow drain can be the result of a couple of different issues, a clog in the line somewhere or a stack that is blocked or partially blocked. The air stack lets air into the drain line and that causes water to flow freely at the normal speed. A clog can be in the drain’s trap, that y-shaped pipe directly under the drain basket. Or the clog can be farther down the line somewhere. In that case the clog is usually caused by tree roots, a broken or collapsed drainpipe, or an object that is obstructing normal water flow.
Unexplained Increases In Your Water Bills – if there is an unexplained jump in your water bill, and you haven’t recently filled a pool, a hot tub, or over-watered your lawn, something has changed. Water has to be passing through the water meter somehow to cause a bill increase. Look around your home for any sign of a leak. If you don’t see one, have someone who is qualified open the water box out in the yardso that they can view the water meter. With every faucet shut off, see if the meter is still turning. If it is, shut off the water main coming into the house and see if the meter stops turning. If it does, your problem is inside the house somewhere. If the meter keeps turning, the problem is in the line between the meter and your home.
Rocking Toilet – while many chairs are made to rock but a toilet isn’t. If yours rocks when you sit on it there is a problem. The bolts holding the toilet to the floor may be loose and just need tightening. There is one on either side of the toilet base. If they do need tightening, don’t over-tighten them and accidentally crack the porcelain toilet base. If the bolts are already tight, you may have a toilet flange problem. If left to rock for any length of time, the toilet seal, a wax ring, may go bad and release nasty water that was meant to go down the drain.
Off-Color Water – if the water coming out of your faucets is discolored and rusty looking, or if the water seems to be cloudy, there are a couple of possible issues. If the water seems cloudy, air may be in, or getting in, the water lines. If the water is yellow or brown there may be a rust problem in one of the lines. In either case you need to act quickly to solve the issue.
Patches of Fast Growing Grass – sometimes a water problem only shows up in your yard. If the grass in one area seems to be greener or growing longer faster (especially if it seems to be growing that way in a straight line) than the rest of the grass in your yard, there could be a problem. A underground water line could be leaking or broken or a sewer or septic line may have gone bad and be leaking or maybe just clogged.
When Plumbing Goes Wrong
Often times a plumbing problem can lead to a water damage situation. If water damages your house you must act quickly to mitigate the damage. Your insurance company demands this for a loss to be covered. As a matter of fact, if left unattended, water damage can quickly, in 48 hours or less, turn into a mold problem. Mold in a house can lead to serious health problems for residents. Even your pet’s health can be affected by exposure to mold.
If water or mold is affecting your home you need to call Water Mold Fire Restoration at 800-905-0277 as soon as the problem is discovered. Our nationally certified water damage and mold remediation specialists can handle both small and large-scale losses. We answer our phones 24/7 and we will respond in one hour or less. If you would rather contact us by email you can do so at help@watermoldfire.net. Our initial inspection and remediation estimate will cost you absolutely nothing and we will part friends.
