The Importance of Repairing Leaks

Repairing leaks is vital maintenance that should never be put off. If you find a water leak in your property, you risk letting it cause extensive, and expensive, damage.

Left unchecked in your property, leaks can cause surface and structural problems. Not repairing leaks can also attract termites, in other words, more lasting damage to your home. What’s more, not all home insurance policies cover damage caused by a leak left unattended, so repairing leaks in a timely manner should always be something you stay on top of.

Where to Check for Leaks

Whilst the current property occupier is responsible for identifying leaks, the property owner is usually the one responsible for hiring a licensed plumber, like Tailored Plumbing, to fix them. With that in mind, here are five places around your home that you should check on a regular basis for leaks.

The Toilet

Toilets are one of the most common culprits in the house when it comes to leaks. If the cistern is refilling too often and too quickly, repairing leaks around the cistern immediately should be a priority, as that will save you time and money.

Another part of the toilet that often leaks is the pan collar. Repairing leaks on this part of the toilet usually requires replacing the collar. In doing so, you will prevent water damage to the bathroom floor tiles, making it another worthwhile fix.

Beneath the Sink

Beneath every sink in your home are several spots where leaks could potentially spring up. First check any exposed pipes in the cupboard beneath your sink, if you have one. Moisture in cupboards can weaken the wood and cause mould to grow over time, so taking care of those leaks will save you from needing to shell out for a new cupboard – or worse, the floor or wall(s).

Repairing leaks could also be required around the waste trap, the pipework that carries dirty water away from your home. A plumber may need to retighten the trap or even replace it if it’s leaking.

Gutters

You should be diligent when checking your gutters, particularly after heavy rain. There are many reasons why repairing leaks to your gutters could end up being necessary, but overflowing or leaky gutters could lead to water reaching parts of your home that aren’t designed to withstand the rain, leading again to potentially serious damage.

Hot Water Units

It’s not exactly unknown for hot water units (such as boilers) to break down, especially in the colder winter months. Checking these units for leaks should never be overlooked, since losing hot water will cost you money, on top of damaging your home.

Sinks

If your taps keep dripping after you’ve turned them off, that could be a sign that the washers need to be replaced. Repairing leaks from your taps is just as important as any other part of your home because even though the sink won’t be damaged in the short term from that constant dripping, you’re still wasting water which means wasting money.