A leaking or a broken pipe in your home plumbing can be a nightmare, but it can be fixed and your home can be put back to the way it was before the leak. Why do the pipes leak? Let’s take a look at some of the causes of water in your walls or basement.

Rust or Corrosion

Most home plumbing pipes are designed to last for a long time. However, they will eventually wear out and chemical corrosion can occur. Rust weakens and thins the wall of the pipe, so if you suspect that your aging pipes may need an upgrade, call a Savannah plumbing company like Thompson and Thompson Home Services as soon as possible.

Water Pressure Issues

Proper water pressure must be maintained for home plumbing to work. If the water pressure is too high, you’re at risk for a leak in the joints or fixtures. How do you know if your water pressure is too high? Water should flow out of a fixture at a steady rate, without variation. If you turn the shower on full and it hits your skin with enough force to make you turn it down, or if your sink faucets spray forcefully into the sink, you may want to head to the home supply store to pick up an inexpensive gauge to check your pressure.

Most home water pressure is between 30 and 50 PSI. Other signs your water pressure is problematic are banging sounds in the pipes, premature fixture failure, leaking faucets (the rubber gaskets can’t keep up and leaks start), and leaking hoses, like the one feeding your washing machine.

Hard Water

If water has too much calcium, magnesium or other minerals dissolved in it, there exists the potential for a mineral buildup inside your pipes. This buildup, which you can see on the underside of faucets, or on glasses after being run through the dishwasher, can restrict flow and place stress on plumbing where deposits have formed.

Poor Installation

In some cases, pipes burst because they were not put together properly. If your copper pipes have excess movement- you can wiggle them or they shudder when a fixture is turned on- stress is created in the joints and pinhole leaks can occur. Small movements over time can create leak-causing stress wherever a pipe makes a bend.

Tree Roots

Tree roots naturally grow toward a water supply, so if there is a weak point in the plumbing between your house from the main public feeder line it can attract damaging root growth that can invade the pipe and clog it. This happens This usually happens with the wastewater lines leading to your sewer or septic system, but it can also happen with the smaller diameter intake pipe.

A Savannah plumbing company you can trust

Like any home system, your plumbing won’t last forever and that’s why we are here to help. If you suspect any problems, especially if something has changed in your home’s water system, let us know!