Leaking pipes can occur in any property (regardless of its age) and should be dealt with urgently to prevent any structural damage or mould growth.
Following the success of our “How to find a water leak?” guide, we wanted to provide further advice around leaking pipes. Read on to learn the common causes of leaking pipes, what action to take and what you can do to prevent the situation reoccurring in the future.
If you’re worried about a water leak in your property, contact Greenstar today and a member of our expert plumbing team will be more than happy to help.
The common causes of a leaking pipe are due to the following:
Clogs may seem relatively harmless, but they can actually lead to overflowing issues and even burst pipes. Clogs cause a build-up of pressure behind the blockage, which may lead to structural damage to your property. What’s more, should a clog consist of corrosive substances (e.g. from disposing household chemicals down a sinkhole) then this will rapidly speed up the rate of damage to your pipes.
As your plumbing system ages with time, rust and other types of corrosion can lead to unwanted pipe openings allowing water to escape and leak through. Corrosion can also develop if your water’s pH level and mineral content are disproportionate.
Many pipe leaks can occur from poorly laid pipe as a result of shoddy DIY work. As plumbing systems require water to flow against gravity, it’s vital that pipes and connectors are laid property with backflow devices used as needed.
Along with rust and corrosion, extreme temperatures and excessive water pressure can cause pipe joints to deteriorate over time. Joint issues are typically associated when you hear a ticking or banging noise when you’re running hot water.
Your pipes are also subject to issues as a result of the elements. For instance, flooding and small earthquakes can cause your underground pipes to shift. Your pipes can also be moved as a result of tree roots growing underground. As the ground moves, your pipes could potentially twist, crack of separate altogether leading to underground leakage. Slow drainage may be a result of underground pipe issues.
High water pressure means that the water hits hard inside your pipes, increasing the risk of a leak or even a pipe burst in extreme circumstances.
You should be aware that not all plumbing revolves around metal pipes. Rubber sealant is placed on your appliances, specifically around areas that require a watertight seal (like a dishwasher door). Over time, the sealing can deteriorate and break, which can then lead to leakage. Be on the lookout for condensation or puddles around your appliances as this could be due to a broken seal.
We cover this off in our “How to find a water leak?” guide, but we suggest that you take the following steps to find the cause of your pipe leak:
Once you’ve found the leaking pipe, you should take action right away – place an empty bucket or a bunch of rugs underneath to manage the leak, and then turn off your water supply.
You could look into applying waterproof duct tape or pipe repair clamp, spray or putty but do note these are temporary measures that may have limited impact.
As it can potentially cause structural damage to your property, we recommend that you take swift action to remedy your leaking pipe issue.
Sorting a water leak requires the right tools, knowledge and experience. Attempting to resolve the issue yourself could worsen the problem, and could even cause considerable damage to your property.
With over 30 years’ experience, you can rely on plumbing specialists Greenstar to find and sort your water leak as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We advise on the following solutions which can help prevent your pipes from leaking in the future:
Based out of Dorset, Greenstar are one of the UK’s leading plumbing and boiler companies with expertise in working on residential and commercial installations, servicing and emergency repairs.
For professional and experienced plumbers and Gas Safe registered gas engineers that you can depend on, contact Greenstar on 01202 355344 today.