The most common causes of a household leak

For homeowners, a household leak is one of the most common problems. As a result, people have come up with great ways to fix them, and fast. Some of the most common ways households waste their water aren’t from dramatic pipe bursts or a rusty pipe that weakens over time. There are much simpler ways that water escapes your house that are easy to fix. So, what are they?

Running toilets

Toilets spend their fair share of time in the limelight when it comes to a household leak. A running toilet can waste 4.5 litres of water in 30 seconds. Luckily, this is usually very easy to solve. There might be a problem with the flapper or floater in the water chamber, in which case, replacements will do the trick. Sometimes, a small adjustment to the flapper to ensure it’s forming a seal against the valve seat is all you need to save precious water.

The dripping tap

Since taps were invented, the dripping tap has always made itself known in bathrooms and kitchens. The problem can come about in a variety of ways: not closing it tightly enough; closing it too tightly; debris stuck in the pipe; or water that is too hot. Whatever the problem, solving it is usually straightforward. Learning what works for your taps might be all you need to do. Or, if you need to, replacing a damaged one is relatively inexpensive.

Leaking gland on a radiator

A leaking radiator valve often becomes a problem around October when winter grows closer, and it’s time to start using the heating. When valves are closed throughout the summer, they tend to stick and can become stiff. If this isn’t dealt with in the right way, they can cause a serious central heating water leak which can be costly to fix. Therefore, it’s best to get your heating systems checked by a plumbing professional, along with your boiler, during the summer. That way it will work seamlessly when you need it most in winter.

Leaking pipe under the sink

This is another common household leak that is easy to solve. It’s also easy to cause. Most people would assume this type of leaking comes from old pipes or general wear and tear. However, household storage under sinks can cause the pipes to be disturbed, by knocking and moving, which causes them to leak. To solve this, try to reduce the amount of storage contained under the sink, so your pipes aren’t hit so often.

Water leaking from the bath

Usually, the first sign of a plumbing leak from the bath is the water stain on the ceiling of the room directly below. It usually takes a few hours for the water to leak through the ceiling, but once you’ve seen this, you know costly damage has been done. It will need rectifying by plumbing and building professionals.

The best way to prevent this is to check your bathtub pipes regularly. Check all areas and seals for gaps and check the floor for signs of leakage. If this isn’t possible due to hidden pipes, make sure you have adequate cover from a reputable plumbing service so they can rectify any incidents immediately.

Have you experienced a common household leak in your home? Make sure an experienced plumber fixes them to stop the problem from becoming worse. If you’re in need of professional plumbers, don’t hesitate to get in touch with GOS Heating on 01772 734 966.