Almost everything you do in your home, from cooking and cleaning to daily hygiene and taking care of your pets, requires you to rely on water. Because water is such an integral part of everyday life, it is both important and convenient to have it delivered directly into your home via water systems and pipes.
However, if this water system breaks or water goes somewhere it should not, this can cause a lot of problems throughout your home, including damaging ceilings and flooring, causing visible water stains and mold and even leaving your home with structural damage. To help prevent these problems in your home caused by water, you should know how to find a water leak.
How to Find a Water Leak Inside a Wall
Water leaks are serious problems that can cause a lot of damage if you do not notice them right away. If you suspect that you have a water leak in your home, it is important to be able to find the leak and diagnose the problem as quickly as possible.
Signs of a Potential Water Leak
Because many plumbing fixtures like pipe systems reside within the walls of your home, you need to remember that just because you cannot see a leak, that does not mean it is not there.
To be able to find a leak inside a wall of your home, you must know the different signs you may have a faulty pipe:
1. Wet areas
A wet wall can indicate to you that there is a leak somewhere in your plumbing system. When trying to pinpoint the location of the leak, however, it may not be directly where the wet marks are on your wall. This is because the water may drip down the pipe before it comes in contact with the wall.
2. Peeling paint or wallpaper
If the paint or wallpaper of your home is exposed to moisture for too long, it will peel or flake.
3. Warped walls
When you look at your wall, if it appears newly warped or looks different than before, this may be a sign that water has come in contact with the wall for an extended time.
4. A musty smell
Water from a leaky pipe may have a strong odor that can alert you to a leak in the wall. This water behind the wall never has a chance to dry, enhancing the smell.
5. Mold or mildew
Because mold thrives in dark and damp places, behind the wall is a perfect place for mold to grow. If you see mold in odd places where water does not usually collect, you may have a pipe that leaks.
6. Dripping sounds
If you hear what appears to be dripping water but you cannot locate the source of the sound, this can be an indication that there is a leak somewhere.
7. High water bill
While this does not tell you where the leak is, knowing that your water bill is higher than usual is a good indicator that something may be wrong with your plumbing. This can alert you to the problem, giving you a reason to look for some other signs of a water leak in your home.
Identifying the Source of a Leak
After you know that there is a leak in one of the walls of your home, you will want to pinpoint the location of the leak. This task can be difficult for untrained professionals because the signs of water damage can be misleading.
For example, if there is a wet spot on the wall that should not be there, you would assume that there is a leak directly behind this point on the wall. However, this is not necessarily true because the leak may be somewhere else in the pipe, but it only hits the wall where you see the spot. That being said, finding the source of the leak can be difficult, requiring different tests and equipment to pinpoint a leak in the wall.
However, if you are determined to locate the source of a leak on your own, one tool you can purchase that a plumbing professional will bring if you call them is a moisture meter. This piece of equipment requires you to place it against the wall so it can analyze the wall’s moisture content. Repeat the process over different places on the wall, and wherever you receive the highest reading is closest to where the leak behind the wall may be.
Another device professionals use to locate the source of a leak is an infrared camera, which helps detect heat. A wall that has a leak in it will have a cooler temperature than surrounding walls without a leak, so by pointing an infrared camera at a wall with a leak, the camera will show blue or purple spots, as opposed to warmer objects that give off a red or orange coloring.
One final test that can help locate a leak in the wall is cutting into your drywall. This is an invasive process, however, because it does require you to cut a hole into your wall large enough that you can look around and try to find the leak. Before you take this drastic step, you should contact a professional who can help you find alternative ways to get answers about where the leak may be in your home.
Although you can purchase these potentially expensive tools and attempt to find the source of the leak on your own, it is always best to contact a professional. Professional restoration companies can perform tests with such tools to pinpoint leaks without causing further damage. Because professionals are trained to find leaks and know the best techniques to deal with them, you should avoid causing further damage trying to locate or fix the leak and instead get the advice of a professional.
How to Find a Water Leak in Your Roof
Roof leaks are an important problem to be aware of because they can be difficult to find, complicated to fix and expensive to live with. If you believe that the roof of your home leaks, even if it does not seem major or it does not bother you too much, it is definitely something you should have looked at right away.
Signs of a Potential Water Leak
While the signs of a roof leak are similar to those for a leak in the wall, there are some signs unique to roof leaks that can help you identify a potential water leak. Some indications include:
1. Damp spots and water stains
If you see damp spots that turn into water stains on your ceiling, specifically new ones appearing after a rainfall, this may indicate that your ceiling has a leak in it. Damp spots and water stains can appear on the roof sheathing, the rafters or on insulation.
2. Dripping sounds
Dripping sounds that occur even when all faucets and appliances are off can be caused by water dripping from a leak in the ceiling.
3. Musty smell
Another sign that you may have a leak in your roof is if your home has a new, unidentifiable musty smell. Water that does not get the chance to properly dry has a musty odor to it. If you smell this, especially in the upper floors or attic of your home, you may want to check your roof for leaks.
4. Loose shingles
When outside your home, if shingles appear loose or have even blown into your yard, this can be a sign of a leaky roof.
5. Moss or mold
Whether it be inside or outside of your home, if moss, mold or mildew is present, chances are there is a leak somewhere. If the exterior walls of your home have growing spots of mold or moss or if the inside of your home has spots of mold or mildew, this can be dangerous to your health, so finding the source of the mold is important.
Identifying the Source of a Leak
Finding the source of your roof’s leak can be a difficult task because, similar to leaks in the walls, the spots where you notice water leakage or stains are often not where the leak begins. This is because water moves downhill from where the leak enters your roof and travels until it finds a place to rest, often a distance from where it started.
Based on this idea, one tip that may help you find the origin of a water leak is to consider where the leak is visible and travel uphill from that spot. If it appears like the outdoor roofing is disturbed, such as interrupted shingles or roof penetrations, this may be the source of your problem. To verify this, if your home has access to an attic, you can go into the attic and find that spot, looking for wet or moldy insulation and water stains. If you do not have access to an attic, you can go onto your roof to get a closer look at these disruptions.
If your roof has a leak that you have had difficulty finding, one trick to help find the leak is to grab a helper and go on the roof with a hose to mimic inclement weather. While one person stays inside, the other should spray sections of the roof with a garden hose. Allowing the water to run over each spot for a period of time, move the hose section by section while having the inside person alert when they see water.
If you try the trick with the hose and it does not reveal the exact location of a leak, you can remove shingles from the roof around the suspected area to try to track down the source of the leak. Discolored or moldy sheathing or felt paper or rotted wood can lead you directly to the source of the leak.
While it is possible for you to do this on your own, it is always better to have a professional look at your roof. Because your roof is an expensive and extremely important part of your home, you do not want to accidentally cause more damage than the water has already caused. The leak in your roof will progressively worsen, so you should contact a professional restoration specialist as soon as possible to prevent further water leaks and damage.
What to Do if You Find a Water Leak
Since water leaks are a serious issue that can cause extensive damage to your home, it is important to take action as soon as you notice a leak. Here are a few steps to take if you think a pipe in your home may have a leak:
1. Turn off your water source.
The first thing you should do if you think you have a water leak is turn off the source of water where you believe the leak is coming from. If you cannot yet locate the source of the leak, you should turn off your main water line. This can help prevent additional water damage and a high water bill while you figure out your next steps in fixing the leak.
2. Assess the situation.
If you are unsure about the origin of the leak, you should try to figure out where the water is coming from and how serious the leak is. Remember, while you should take steps to find the leak so you can alert a professional, you should not try to access pipes if you do not know what you are doing. This can cause bigger issues and extensive water damage, so it is best to leave any actions regarding the leak to a professional.
3. Check your water meter.
One way to tell how serious the leak may be is by checking your water meter. Start by turning all of the water and appliances using water off. Then, go look at the water meter, and if the gauge is moving, this can indicate that there is a serious leak. If the meter does not change, leave all the water off for a few hours and check again. If it changes after leaving the water off for some time, this may indicate a slower leak.
4. Contact a professional.
The most important thing you can do when you experience a leak in your home is contact a professional plumber and restoration company. Allowing a trained professional to help with a leak can prevent further damage from occurring to your home. A professional restoration company can help assess any damage, help prevent further damage, recover your belongings and restore your property. Because water damage is a serious issue that can have lasting effects on your home, you should always hire a professional rather than try to clean water damage yourself.
Rhode Island Restoration Pipe Repair and Water Damage Restoration
Residential home cleanup and reconstruction are crucial for fixing damage to the home from water leaks of any kind. The best way to ensure proper restoring and reparations is to have a trusted restoration company come to assess the damage, take measures to prevent further damage and restore your property.
If you find yourself with a leak in your home or roof, contact Rhode Island Restoration, a company where we put your family and your home first. Between our 24/7 emergency repair service, free quotes and consultations, and competitive rates, we take some of the pressures of a home emergency off of you.
Because we partner with Performance Adjusting, we know the money will be there, allowing us to get started more quickly without the need for a retainer. With no upfront costs and direct billing to the insurance company, RI Restoration is here to look out for you.
Whether you want a free quote, have questions or need emergency property damage restoration services, contact us today!
