Water leaks are one of the most expensive issues found during home inspections Atlanta. The homeowners end up paying thousands of dollars to repair those leaks. One of the homeowners told us, “When I found out that the water pipes of my house are leaking, that was nothing but bad news for me. I already had to pay 10% more for my water utility bill than usual, until we discovered that our water systems had leaks.
The monotonous dripping sounds led us to call a plumber who told us that our water system had leaks and needed to replace and install new plumbing pipes. The installation cost us around $1,179, and the plumber fee was around $400. I didn’t realize that this issue could cost me this much money, but it surely is one of the most expensive repairs of the house.” If you want to save yourself from this costly repair, read below and learn how to avoid having a small leak costing you thousands of dollars.
Techniques to Check Leaks
You are lucky if you have a water meter from your city connection. Some cities allow you to have an online check of your water meter, which will estimate potential leakage rates. If you don’t have online access to your meter, you may locate and read your water meter a few times manually.
To manually check the water leaks, you shall first turn all water faucets within your home and ensure that the dishwasher and washing machine are turned off. You may then check the water meter and take a picture of the meter and the numbers you see. Come back later and check again; if there is a change in numbers, there is a leak somewhere.
It is essential to check if the toilet needs to be repaired because it is a hub for interior leaking in most cases. Over time, the toilet’s flapper can become brittle, allowing the water to trickle into the bowl from the tank.
A persistent leak over time provides a perfect humid environment to let the mold grow. In this case, you might notice black splotches on the walls outside the area, but in most cases, mold will grow inside the wall, which can also go unseen, so if you smell a musty smell, it is a red flag.
Check the plumbing if there appears to be a decrease in the pressure and amount of water entering your home. Water headed for you will be diverted in some cases due to leaks. Of course, the size and number of leaks will impact the volume and pressure reduction.
Having a home inspection and working with the finest Atlanta home inspectors can also be a way to find leaks. During the evaluation, if a home inspector finds any water damage, they will make you aware of it. They will also be looking for evidence on the exterior and interior of the property. A home inspector also looks for signs of water damage, such as odors, peeling paint, water damage, stains, and cracks.
Common Leak Points
Water Storage Tanks – These are one of the most common points of leakage, it doesn’t matter if they are made up of wood, metal, or plastic. You may look over your storage tanks for the holes, and while you are detecting that, you shall see that the water inlet or water outlet where the pipes connect has any signs of water leaking or dripping. Ideally, storage tanks are installed with a flexible connection. You may also check for signs of whether the tanks are overflowing or overfilling. If your water storage tank has a leakage, the typical range for their replacement is $1,588 – $2,792.
Toilet Valves – The very first thing to check is toilet valves. They are one of the biggest water wasters that usually don’t turn off when the toilet tank is full, and later the toilet tank overflows and overfills down the toilet bowls. They are quite an inexpensive replacement item that requires minimal expertise and few tools to work out the replacement. The typical price range for fixing the toilet valves is $75 – $200 for the flush valve and about $400 for a constantly running toilet.
Water Filters, Water Softeners, or Water Conditioners – Typically, water filters have several connection points. So they are required to be carefully inspected around any of the filters in case you suspect a leak. You can check for the leaks with the filters’ visual inspection, and also below them, check whether there is water or wetness below them and ensure that there are no hissing noises heard. Water filters that clean themselves or backwash will constantly be connected to a drain line where they will flush the dirty water. You shall inspect this pipe and see if there is water coming out of it. Generally, repairing water filters costs between $200 – $600.
How to Save These Costs?
You’ll save money if you can shut off the water and wait to contact the plumber until the following day. Plumbing for emergencies will require an additional travel fee of at least $100 and an hourly rate increase of 50% to 100%. At the very least, budget an additional $300 to $400 on the bill.
Maintenance work may seem pricey for what you get, but it will save you a lot of money. It will cost you hundred dollars to have your plumbing systems, toilet valves, water storage tanks, heating boiler, water heater, and significant drain lines tested every few years. However, the money saved by spotting possible problems early can add up to a small amount by preventing significant and unforeseen repair costs later.
Although many homes still have copper plumbing, plastic pipes are the best option. PVC pipes are a good option and have been around for a while. PEX pipes, which are flexible and less likely to rupture when they freeze, are a more recent and superior option. A lot of money can be saved by switching to PEX pipes, which are approximately a third of the price of copper pipes.
Leaks are problematic if they can cost a significant amount of money. Apart from the ways stated above, there are numerous points where a water leakage can be detected, but if you try to repair it early, it will not be that much of a burden on your pocket. You can be different if you handle the problem in the start better, having much less trouble in your pocket. Thousands of people in the United States are affected by water damage, and it will not be a surprise if you are one of those people. click here.
