Did you know around 14,000 homes experience some kind of water damage emergency every day? There are even more daily occurrences of minor water leaks.
Despite how common water leaks are, many people do not know much about water leak repair.
Fixing water leaks may be complex in certain scenarios but knowing how to manage them or repair minor ones on your own is important until you can get a professional out to help you.
Continue reading to learn how to go about fixing water leaks yourself.
Checking for Water Leaks
The first thing to cover is ensuring you are dealing with a water leak.
The best way to check for water leaks is to look at your water usage. Have you noticed an increase in the amount of water being used in your home? Can you figure out why this increase in water usage is happening?
If you cannot find a reason for why this is, then a leak is likely.
Along with checking on the amount of water you are using, the water pressure can also tell you if you are dealing with a water leak. Lower water pressure is a possible sign of water leaks.
Water Leak Repair at Home
Fixing water leaks on your own may be intimidating at first, but it is possible to accomplish. Sometimes, someone may not be able to come to help you with the repair right away, making it important to know how to do it on your own.
1. Shut off Water Valve
You have found where the leak is coming from, but now what?
Before attempting any kind of repairs, turning off the water valves is your first step. These valves are what make the water flow through the pipes in your home.
2. Use Epoxy Putty or a Pipe Repair Clamp
Once you have shut off the water and dried the area where the leakage is coming from, the next thing to do is use a sleeve clamp or epoxy putty.
Epoxy putty is best for pipes that are connected to a joint, while the repair clamps are good for a pipe not connected to a joint.
When using epoxy putty, it is important to let it sit and harden for about 10 minutes. The putty can come off if you turn on your water before letting it dry.
3. Prevent Future Water Leaks
While you wait to hire a professional plumber to fix the water leaks permanently, these at-home repairs will do for a temporary amount of time.
Tips for preventing water leaks:
- Reduce water pressure usage
- Install water softener
- Tighten fillings and seal joints
Hire a Professional Today
This at-home water leak repair guide will only solve the problem temporarily. Hiring a professional plumber is the best to fix any water leaks permanently.
Proactive Plumbing is dedicated to providing customers with exceptional service. Our professionals are certified with years of experience.
Contact us today if you are looking for water repair services or have any questions.
Proactive Plumbing has provided dependable plumbing services, installations, and repairs for more than 15 years. We service Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, and other areas of San Diego County.