10 Most Common Causes of Plumbing Damage

Water damage can be devastating to a home. It’s bad enough when it comes from horrible environmental conditions like storms, but when it comes from internal plumbing it can be a true nightmare. Water leaks can spring up anywhere at any time and your best defense is to prevent them in the first place and get on top of them as soon as you notice a sign a leak might be imminent. Learn the ten most common plumbing damage causes so you can diagnose the source of that leak and help your ServiceWhale plumbing contractor fix the problem fast.

Corrosion

Corrosion is one of the most common plumbing damage causes and it can result from chemical reactions, age or water quality. It can pop up anywhere and gets worse after it happens, fast.

Rust Damage

Rust is a form of corrosion that occurs when metal oxidizes. It usually happens in older galvanized steel pipes – copper and PVC don’t rust. However, other parts of your plumbing may.

Cracks in the Pipes

Modern pipes are very strong and resilient. It’s rare for cracks to form, but they sometimes do. This can happen if a fixture is too tight or if there are freeze and thaw issues, for example.

Leaky Joints

Joints that aren’t properly tightened or sealed are a very common source of leaks. Unfortunately for many homeowners, pipe joints are often located deep in the walls of your home or in your foundation, which means these leaks sometimes don’t come to light until there’s a lot of damage.

Pressure Problems

Too much water pressure can cause pipes to leak and eventually burst. Your faucets and fixtures are rated for a certain amount of pressure and, if it’s too high, problems will result.

Faucet Wear and Tear

Faucets wear out over time. Seals go bad, moving parts get loose, etc. Here’s the good news: faucets are really easy for your ServiceWhale plumbing contractor to fix.

Toilet Leaks

Much like your faucets, toilet leaks are common and can result from a variety of reasons, from clogs to wear and tear. A toilet leak can range from easy to complete replacement. A professional is your best bet for having it diagnosed and addressed.

Clothes Washer

You’ve heard nightmare stories about the washing machine flooding the laundry room. Just like other fixtures, washers have fixtures that corrode over time and connections can come loose and leak due to vibrations.

Dishwasher

Dishwasher leaks are also quite common and often result from bad door seals and from loose or worn connections. Keep an eye on these things.

The Plumbing Contractor and Pipe Leaks

There are many reasons why your pipes could spring a leak. Since pipes are in your walls, you might not notice these leaks until some damage has already occurred. If you think you may have a leak in your walls or anywhere else, check out ServiceWhale’s easy process for finding the best local plumbers and get in touch with us to get started today!