5 Common Places Leaks Can Occur

Xtreme Mats- Preventative and Protective Measures

Leaks are one of the homeowner's biggest fears!  They waste water, damage your home, and encourage unwanted organic growth like harmful mold and mildew. Leaks can quickly become a financial nightmare if water damage repair and mold remediation is required. Unfortunately, because you don't see most of the pipes in your home on a daily basis, you may not always know that a leak has formed. One of the easiest ways to protect your home from future leaks and water damage is to understand and look for common situations and conditions that cause leaks to develop. A little foresight and some preventative and protective measures can make this common fear a thing of the past!

Water Heaters: Frequent change in temperatures and pressure in the tank can cause leaks.  Additionally, the water heater will eventually rust out over time and you may come home to a flooded mess.  If you have a water heater on a second story, your problems just doubled!  Consider using a leak pan and a water sensor to contain a leak early and get notified!

Toilets: Valves in toilets have a flapper with a watertight seal.  Over time, that seal will deteriorate causing toilets to continually run, which can quickly run up the water bill.  Also, the water hose and seal going into the tank can degrade leaving you with a flood in the bathroom.  Behind the toilet is another great place to hide a water sensor which will give you a heads up if it does start to leak.

Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks:  Daily use of these sinks causes wear and tear over time and the plumbing connections can become loose, weak, or get jarred out of place.  Garbage disposal vibrations often cause connections to P traps to leak.  Continually knocking and bumping into under sink pipes caused by storing frequently accessed items like trash cans and cleaners under the sink can also knock the pipes loose. Leaks in cabinets under the sink often go unnoticed while wreaking havoc on the wooden or particleboard cabinets.  The best defense in this situation is having a sturdy, four-walled Under Sink Cabinet Mat to catch and contain the leak with a Water Sensor to alert you to the leak.

Exterior Water Pipes:  Mother Nature, Father Time, and the weather can all take a toll on our exterior water pipes.  Make sure you check faucets and spigots for slow but costly leaks and drips and perform seasonal maintenance to protect against frozen pipes.

Air Conditioner:  Drains pipes become clogged from substances like dirt, grime, and yucky sludge which can back up pipes.  Clogged pipes create pressure which can lead to minor leaks, burst pipes, and drain pan overflows.  Having an overflow cut off switch can save you a major headache by shutting off your AC if the drain pan overflows or the pipes clog, which will keep the water damage risk under control.  You can also place a leak detector in or around the drain pan as a backup measure so you'll be notified of a leak.