What Causes Leaks in Pipes?

Pipe leaks can be more than just an inconvenience. They can raise your bill, disrupt water flow, and cause excessive water damage to your home. There can be many reasons why pipes develop leaks. Below, we’ll discuss a few of the most common leaks in homes and what causes them.

High Water Pressure

If your water pressure is excessively high, it could cause your pipes to leak and even burst. When the pressure in your pipes is distributed unevenly, it puts unnecessary force on the rest of your pipes and causes leaks.

High water pressure can also cause drip leaks from faucets, showers, and toilets. The danger of these leaks is wasting water. It adds up over time and has the possibility to tack on another $70 per month to your water bill.

Clogs

The natural flow of water is to find areas to seep into. If your pipe has a clog in it, the water will seek to escape through any cracks in the pipe or caulking. This has the ability to disrupt the flow of water to placed like your toilets and showers, while also causing major water damage to your ceilings and walls.

Corrosion

Corrosion in your pipes is oftentimes caused by the pH of your water. If the pH is too low, it damages the protective layer inside the pipe and causes it to corrode. When there is too much oxygen in the water, it gradually turns metal pipes to rust. Minerals in the water also speed up the corrosion process.

The rust caused by corrosion can not only be a nuisance to your water bill but a threat to your health as well. Once a pipe is corroded, the only way to fix it is by calling a licensed professional to replace it.

Damaged Pipe Joints

Pipe joints are the parts that connect your pipes together. Being the weakest point of a pipeline, joints are known to deteriorate and eventually leak over time.

One way to tell if your pipe joints are damaged is if you hear a banging or ticking noise coming from your pipes when you turn on the hot water. If you hear these noises, there is a chance that your pipes are under significant pressure.

If you have a leak in one of your pipes, or if you are concerned about the structural integrity of your pipelines, do not hesitate to contact your local professionals at ServiceOne AC and Plumbing through our website, or give us a call at (407) 499-8333.