Worried about water leaks?
- Jan 16, 2024
- 8 min read
First Published 16.01.24
Water leaking into our home can be devastating to our bliss, our home and our possessions. This post aims to inform us about the risks and what we can do to prevent them. I lived in a property that leaked like a sieve. No sooner had I solved one leak than another appeared. That might not be accurate, but it sure felt like it! So I have a fair bit of experience with this aquatic bliss stealer.
Anything that holds water or exists to stop water from moving where you don't want it is a risk. This post doesn't cover human error such as leaving the bath taps running or not getting the hole in the roof repaired.
Water leaks can be caused by frozen pipes bursting, a worn or damaged joint, lack of or the age of sealant which creates slow silent often unseen damage, or sometimes just plain bad plumbing. There are other things, but these are the big three that I run into regularly. Spotting them early and some regular inspection can help you avert a major catastrophe. This isn't always easy, and our inability to spot them boils down to a few things we might lack :
We don't know where to look
We don't know what to look for
Nobody wants to be crawling under the sink to feel their pipes
We don't know what to do when we find something
We don't want to find something so we don't look
If we are tenants we might think it's not our responsibility to check. Sadly the water leak won't care about that and go ahead and damage our stuff anyway. Your landlord has a legal responsibility to test your gas boiler each year but no one is looking at our pipes, except us.
For sure inspecting for potential water damage isn't fun for most of us. This is one of those jobs where the bliss comes later. You can read my latest blissful plumbing experience below if you're feeling less than inspired by this task.
If a water pipe bursts, that could mean 250 gallons of water an hour escaping into your home, which would cause considerable damage, even if you're at home when it happens. If your 1st floor shower leaks this can damage your possessions in the lounge below etc. So let's take a look at how we can prevent this from happening to us.
Water leaks and escapes of water - what's the difference?
If you have a large leak the sort where the escaping water can't be contained or causes considerable damage the insurance companies call this an escape of water rather than a leak. Here's what you can do to protect your home from escapes:
Consider leaving the heating on low in the colder months. 10C (50F) is the ideal setting because pipework shouldn't get cold enough to freeze. There is a theory that says not letting your house go too cold is not only better for the property but isn't as expensive as heating it from scratch. We're making enquiries on this and will let you know our findings.
Know where your stopcock is and keep the access as clear as you can. This will limit any escape of water if a pipe etc. leaks. Enabling you to turn it off more easily - it's surprising how this quick action can save so much damage.
Take out some content insurance to cover your possessions and some building insurance if you are responsible for the costs of repairing those too. This will help you worry less and provide a good fast solution should disaster strike.
This isn't going to replace those unique items which are special to you. For these, it's worth acquiring some sealed lidded boxes and avoiding keeping them near a water source.
You or a family member with a keen eye can check your ceilings for damp patches, and your sinks and radiator pipes for wet joints. Again, spotting a leak early can limit the damage. More on how to look later.
Having the number of a reliable plumber is invaluable in these circumstances, If you're a tenant make sure you have out-of-hours numbers for emergencies. In my experience, a plumbing emergency hardly ever happens between 9-5 Monday to Friday. Their favourite time seems to be about 6.30 on a Friday evening or just be for you're hosting or attending any kind of important event.
The Value of a Good Plumber
The biggest problem any plumber faces with this type of work is finding the leak, this is because our homes are not all piped in the same way and the older the house, the more complex the plumbing, and the more likely we are to have worn out joints or seals, and the more costly the repair. This is an argument for new or fully renovated homes of course, but I like old and quirky so for me the risk is something I am prepared to accept.
The complexity of the issue is one of the main reasons pricing a plumbing repair is so difficult. When you ring for a price the plumber wants to do his best work and keep you the customer happy and dry whilst not frightening you away with talk of what it might or not might be. When he comes to your home he doesn't know what he's going to find and when he says he doesn't know, that looks suspicious to the uninitiated already stressed resident. Your plumber has no more idea what's behind your wall or under your sink than you do until he takes a look. The big advantage he has is his expert training and years of experience have shown him what is the most likely place to look and the best way to fix things. That's why knowing a good plumber is helpful. Mistakes and poor workmanship can remain hidden for years to create problems you don't see until long after you can contact the perpetrator even if you know who they are. This is unlike many other types of work you have done by trades, where you can see the job (mostly) such as decorating, new doors fitting, and even electrics to some extent, where the effects are instantly visible or felt.
Don't be afraid to check out your plumber before you get him out. If you ask him about his training and experience and he's offended, he's not your guy. Anyone who has worked hard for their qualifications and skills will be happy and proud to tell you. Just keep it brief he's busy and you have that leak/escape to sort out. Be wary of the sites promising to send someone at a premium rate "guaranteed to fix the issue" If you live in a rural area they have far fewer people to send which takes time you may not have and their business model likely earns income from the plumber so technically you are not their customer the plumber is.
Any insurance you take out to cover this, I have some built into my home insurance, again will only be effective if they have someone and someone experience to send out when you call. These services can be under resources, so knowing a good plumber and being well informed is always of value to you.
Where to Look for Leaks
It can be difficult to know where potential culprits might be hiding. A good place to start is around water fittings such as sinks, baths, toilets, radiators and anywhere you can see a pipe joint. Ceilings and floors should be checked for damp patches and sealant around sinks, showers etc. should be intact. It's not practical to get up floorboards to inspect other joints even if you know where they are but a twice-yearly check of the visible parts mentioned and the items we talked about in prevention will for the most part keep your home dry.
So what are you looking for exactly?
Pipes and radiator joints, and other fittings are best checked with the hand as well as the eye. Running your hand over the entirety of any joint is the best way to see if it's still watertight. You could do this with a thin wooly glove but the best way is with a clean dry hand. You can always use an anti-bacterial hand cleaner afterwards. Don't try to turn the joint but if it's loose you could tighten it. If you are unsure which way to turn, it's to the right or clockwise to tighten. If in doubt get a plumber to check it out! I like to keep a record of where I've checked and when, this is because instead of doing it all at once I like to do it a room at a time. The record can prove useful if have problems in the future plus knowing I'm prepared makes me feel in control.
Ceilings and floors Damp patches on ceilings or floors can indicate a leak. If you find something and you rent get the landlord to take a serious look, and if you own get a builder you know or a couple of builders to let you know what they think it is. It may not be plumbing-related.
Sealants: These are used to fill gaps around any area which might splash with water. Around baths, showers and sink joins are the main areas to check. It can be a bit confusing because they are used by everyone to provide a better-looking finish and there are different sorts for different purposes. We are only interested today in the ones protecting you from water leaks. A visual inspection is all that is needed for this if they are not fully present it's an easy job to fix and at a lowish cost. Again if you rent point it out to your landlord, if you own it's an easy DIY job.
My Recent Experience
I discovered that my gas boiler was leaking again. I couldn't see where it was coming from and resolved to fetch the steps to have a look above. I was chatting to my daughter about it by the infernal water maker, saying I just couldn't spot it, when she did! Better still, because she was standing at the side and not face on to it, she'd seen where it was coming from as well as where it dropped. I felt the joints - nothing. Examined the pipes for damage - nothing, and resolved to fetch the steps. I expected to find a pool of water at the top of the boiler which I had discovered on a previous leak, but it was dry. So I felt the four pipes above and bingo the pipe hosting the limescale filter was leaking and I could visibly see that it had corroded through.
I immediately sent pictures to my plumber and old friend Pete. Who said, it wouldn't cause a loss of pressure. I didn't think I was getting a loss of pressure just a litre of water each day on the kitchen counter if I didn't catch it in a jug. Pete replied that's probably what it is then. He sent me links to order a new filter. Now, this isn't a normal way of working for most plumbers, but I have some experience and we know each other well. It's much better in most cases to let your plumber get the part, because if it's wrong it's easier for him to change it. We have this arrangement because Pete isn't local to me and I'm happy to stand the cost on my trade account. Then we fixed a time for the fit. Pete fixed it, I made coffee and we had a good catch-up whilst he worked. Bliss. The big bliss is that the boiler is still working and the cost was well under £100 with no damage to my mental health, home or possessions. I hope my sharing this with you inspires you to check your plumbing too.
About Find Bliss and this post
We hope this post helps you to protect your home and belongings from water damage. We want to make this post the best it can be. If you have expert knowledge in this area you'd like to share we'd love to hear from you and we might add it to the post. You can contact us here. If you have a leaky story with a happy ending you can tell us below in the comments.
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