When there’s a pipe leak, your water bill blows up too. Nobody wants to pay for water that wasn’t used but was instead wasted without someone in the house noticing it. No matter how disappointing that is, a ballooning water bill is probably one of the least harmful effects of a leaky pipe.

There are other results that are far worse than that. 

For example, a leaky pipe can cause the growth of molds in different parts of your home. It can also result in indoor flooding or a slip and fall accident because of a puddle of water that accumulated somewhere at home. Molds, indoor flooding, and a plumbing-related accident are all much worse than a ballooning water bill, aren’t they? 

If you don’t want to experience these harmful effects of a pipe leak, you’ll need to hire pros who provide https://kiasuplumber.com/plumbing-services/water-pipe-leak-repair/ services to prevent any of these untoward incidents from happening.

As they say, prevention is better than cure. Today, we’re sharing with you the five main causes of home pipe leaks so you can address them before they cause any trouble.

Too old pipes

When was the last time you replaced the pipes under your kitchen sink? The pipe network connected to your shower system? Or the thick and short pipes at the side of your toilet bowl?

While it’s true that some pipes can last a lifetime, there are exposed pipes connected to your home plumbing fixtures that need replacement after a few years. When pipe fittings get rusty and old, they can break down and result to a pipe burst.

Water pressure is too high

How is the water pressure in your home plumbing network? Is it just right, very low, or too high? When you notice a sudden increase in your home water pressure, you can bring it back to a normal level by adjusting your home water pressure reducing valve.

If it still doesn’t work, you may need to call the building administrator where you live or a professional plumber to resolve the issue. Otherwise, your plumbing pipes will be exposed to too much pressure, which can result to a pipe breakage.

Severe and frequent pipe clogging

Another cause of a leaky or damaged pipe is frequent and severe clogging. When plumbing pipes are always filled with wastes that cause clogging, the interior surface can deteriorate quickly. The accumulated waste can scratch or stretch the pipes, which may result in pipe leaks and pipe bursts.

Make sure you use your sink drains and floor traps properly to avoid frequent pipe clogging that will affect the quality of the plumbing pipes. 

Pipe Joint Damage

There are pipe joints connecting the network of pipes in your home. When the weather gets too hot or too cold, these pipe fittings can be damaged, which will then lead to leaks in your home plumbing pipes.

Check the pipe joints in your plumbing system to see if some of them need to be repaired or replaced.

Corrosion

It is not uncommon for pipes to corrode when they get too old. Pipes that are exposed to elements like wind and an extremely hot weather can corrode. Sometimes, water quality and chemical reaction can also cause corrosion in your home plumbing pipes.

This issue is not easy to solve without the help of professionals. Hire a licensed plumber to inspect the pipe networks in your home to see if some of them are suffering from corrosion. Corroded pipes don’t only result in pipe leaks but they can also contaminate the water that flows through them.