Water leaks within the wall are serious problems. They must be fixed right away to avoid damage to both your property and your health because the moisture inside the wall helps mold grow.
A hidden water leak cannot be noticed and fixed until it has already done serious damage that will require huge money to be fixed. Therefore, it’s wise to regularly check the wall if there is any sign.
Fortunately, there are helpful ways to see the signs:
Discolored areas
This is usually the first sign of a leak that you will see. Once you see spots of discoloration, most probably there are leaky water pipes inside the walls
Signs of Mold and Mildew
Mold in damp areas is very common. However, it may be growing in and on your wall after the leak stopped for some time.
At first, mold looks like a dense cluster of black or brown dots. Even if it is not visible from the outside, it may still be growing inside of the walls that have been saturated with water by the leak.
Unfortunately, aside from the damage that it can cause to your home, it can also cause allergies and other potentially serious health problems. So you have to repair plumbing leaks right away.
Wet areas
A wet wall usually happens if you have a leaking pipe. This may also cause accidents if left unnoticed. But remember that the leak may not be directly behind the damp area.
Any strange wetness that you notice must be reported immediately to a professional plumber if you are not sure where it came from.
Peeling paint or wallpaper
This may also happen during cold weather or the rainy season if the paint is poorly painted on your wall. But it is better to double-check if there is wetness and unpleasant odor around the wall because this can also be a sign of leaks.
A Musty smell
The brighter side of smelling musty odor is that you will be alerted that there is something wrong within your walls. And because the leaking water inside the wall never has a chance to dry out, the walls will start creating a humid, musty odor.
Musty-smelling is usually accompanied by other signs of a leak like discoloration. But sometimes this kind of odor is only a sign of a leak deep in a wall.
The thickness of drywall can hide the sign of leaks since it effectively absorbs water like a sponge and prevents any physical signs of the leak from showing. But a musty smell won’t lie.
Sometimes, visual signs are not enough to alert you. A musty smell fortunately can save you from further damage once you respond to its message.
Puddles of water near a wall
Puddles of water are an amazing tool to know that there is a leak within the wall. This is the common and simple way of telling you that you have a water leak inside your walls.
If you can see suspicious wetness on the floor or carpet, there is a high chance that there is a leak especially if they are located near the common major appliance that uses water.
Dripping sounds
It’s not a good sound to hear dripping water after you turn off the faucet or shower. This might be a sign that you have a pipe that’s leaking water. Be observant and check where it came from immediately.
Higher water bill
Even though this may not directly tell you that there is a leak, this can also be a piece of strong evidence that you have one. It is a nice idea to compare your last bill from the latest one and see if there is a huge difference.
Now that you have pointers to find out if you have plumbing leaks at home, you can start checking. Remember to address the issue right away before these leaks cause more damage to your home or adverse health effects to your family.