4 Common Reasons Why Water Pipe Leaks Occur in Homes
by Nicholas Chambers
Water pipes leaks are never a good thing. Besides wasting water and causing your domestic utility bills to spike, they can cause a lot of damage to your residential property. If they occur within your home, they can lead to a mould problem by creating the damp conditions necessary for mould to grow.
The good news is that the detrimental effects of leaky water pipes can be mitigated by fixing pipe leaks early enough. But what causes water pipes to leak in the first place? Here are 4 common culprits behind water pipe leaks in homes.
High water pressure
If your domestic water pressure is too high, it can damage your water pipes and cause them to leak. In worst-case scenarios, the pipes can burst and cause the water to gush out of the pipes at high pressure. This can lead to a drastic loss in water pressure. If you want to keep your pipes from leaking or bursting due to water flow issues, make sure you set your domestic water supply at the recommended pressure range.
Corrosion
If you rely on copper and galvanised steel pipes to deliver water to their homes, then your water supply line is susceptible to corrosion damage. Corrosion occurs when the protective coating applied onto the surface of metal pipes becomes eroded over time, leaving the underlying metal exposed to the elements, specifically oxygen and water.
As corrosion eats away at the surface of the substrate metal, the pipes become thinner and thinner until they develop holes that allow the water to escape. Since corrosion causes irreversible damage to pipes, leak repairs for corroded pipes involve pipe replacement.
Root intrusion
Root systems promote the healthy growth of plants by absorbing water and nutrients from the soil, and your buried water pipes are a potential water source for the plants growing in your yard.
While it's uncommon for tree roots to break into unbroken water lines, a few small openings in your water pipes can attract the roots and allow them to cause major damage to your pipes. This can lead to wet patches in your yard. If you have trees growing too close to your water line, it may be best to remove them to avoid recurrent water leaks in the future.
Temperature variations
When the temperature repeatedly keeps changing from hot to cold and vice versa, the pipes experience expansion and contraction cycles. These cycles can lead to loose pipe connections, which may result in pipe leaks.
If ignored, water pipe leaks can lead to bigger problems down the road. If you see any signs of leaky water supply pipes in your home, contact a plumber immediately.
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About Me
If I didn't know better, I'd think my toddler started each day with a challenge to throw something new and different down the toilet. He has managed to put nearly anything can imagine down the toilet. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out what has gone missing down the loo and whether it's something I can fix or something that I need to call the plumber to help me fix it. This blog is for other mums of toddlers who need to get toys out of the toilet and get the toilet back to working condition as soon as possible!