Tips for Dealing With Water Leak Repair

How Is Water Leak Repair Done?

When trying to calculate the cost of performing a water leak repair, it’s always a good idea to factor in long-term costs as well. While tightening a loose pipe fitting, or replacing a dishwasher hose are both fairly straightforward jobs, when it comes to a broken or cracked pipe, things get a little more complicated.

Sometimes one worn or broken pipe is an indication that the health of your entire plumbing system is in need of help. The fact is that, unless you’re a professional, you often don’t know what the long term effects of performing that DIY fix will be, until it’s too late.

Simple Fixes: Plumbing Sealants & Repair Tape

It’s always a good idea to have some sort of plumbing sealant or repair tape around. These work well as temporary solutions to emergency water leak situations. For both sealant and repair tape to work properly, you’ll want to turn off the water.

In fact, it’s great to know how to turn off the water to your home, if you don’t know already. Once the water is off you can work on using sealant or tape to fix the leak until you can have a plumber come and look at the issue.

There are different sealants and tapes available at your local hardware store for stopping leaks on PVC, copper, iron, plastic, and even porcelain. Some work well on all of the above! You’ll want to follow the instructions on the packaging before turning your water back on. That way you can still use your water while you contact a plumber.

The Dangers of DIY Plumbing Projects

Fixing a leaking pipe may seem like an easy job, but there are risks associated with any DIY plumbing job. Not necessarily a risk to your physical safety while you repair the pipe (although this is possible and every safety precaution should be taken), but the risk of doing damage to your home.

If a leak goes unnoticed or is poorly repaired you could develop mold in the walls or under the floor of your home. For some people, black mold can be deadly, but for most others, it causes respiratory problems and sickness until the mold is eradicated and the moisture allowing it to grow is eliminated. Even other types of mold can be dangerous to your health when inhaled for long periods of time.

Leaking pipes can also do expensive damage to your home if not fixed soon after they are discovered. Not only can water wreak havoc on your drywall, carpet, and wood, but a persistent leak under the house can cause foundation shifts, which can be extremely expensive to repair.

Professional Water Leak Solutions

Water leak detection is done a number of ways, these days. The most effective ways require special equipment and some training on how to use them. When you use a professional to locate and repair the leak in your home, you know that you’re heading-off expensive future repairs that may have otherwise happened if you fixed it yourself.

Professional plumbers can asses the health of your plumbing system and suggest ways to prevent further damage. The next time you have a leak in your home, breathe easy by contacting a professional plumber.

About S and J Plumbing

Proud to provide plumbing services in Arlington Heights, IL for years, S and J Plumbing offers professional services with a full workmanship guarantee. Their work is transparent from start to finish, meaning no hidden costs and never any up-selling. They’re available 24/7 for any and all of your plumbing needs.

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