Sometimes water leaks are pretty obvious, and other times you may not be so lucky. Water leaks can be sneaky, and even if they’re located in a space that’s not readily visible to the naked eye, any leak will leave signs you can spot so you can address the issue head-on. A few signs that might be pointing to a water leak in your home are the following:
• Your water bill is increasing – Unless you’ve had long-term visitors, you’re filling the pool or running the sprinkler, or you’ve been doing load after load to catch up on laundry, your water bill should remain just about the same month to month. Typically, you can pinpoint a normal increase, but your water bill shouldn’t go up an extraordinary amount. If you suddenly notice your water bill going up for no apparent reason, it could be a sign that you have a leak somewhere in your home.
• Your meter keeps running – If you shut off all running water in your home but you still see your water meter going up, this is a sure sign that water is leaking somewhere without your knowledge.
• You smell mold and mildew – Mold and mildew don’t always start out in an obvious fashion. Oftentimes, they start growing behind the walls, in dark corners of cabinets, and in all those places you don’t always see or notice. Even if you can’t see mold or mildew, that doesn’t mean it’s not leaving traces of its presence in your space. Mold and mildew have a distinct musty odor, and if you begin smelling this in any room of your home, this is a sure sign that moisture is present somewhere. With no obvious source, this moisture could be coming from a water leak.
• Warping and bubbling – Warped walls and bubbling ceilings aren’t normal, and what causes these types of damage to occur is prolonged moisture exposure. If you begin to see your walls warping or your ceilings bubbling, a leak could be the culprit.
What To Do Now?
If you spot any of these signs of a water leak, the first thing you should do is to make a call to a professional plumber to detect and fix the leak. Plumbing is a complex and important feature in your home, and one that is best left to the professionals. With a trained plumber working on your water leak, you can rest assured the problem will be detected and fixed the right way.