As soon as you find a leakage inside your house, you need to fix it yourself or contact a professional plumber Newcastle to prevent further damage. You might also be able to save the extra cost of repair in the property if you carry out repair activities on time. As an owner of your home, it is totally your responsibility to check for leaks from time to time and get them fixed.
Here is the list of areas around the home which need to be checked for leaks:
- Taps
There will be numerous taps inside your home and you need to check every tap in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and outside. Whenever you turn off the tap, you should not have to tighten the handle in order to stop the drips from the spout. If you have to tighten the tap, it is a clear indication that the washers need a replacement. In case of mixer taps, they could leak from the middle or even drip through the spout and you can replace the cartridge depending on how old your tap is.
2. Sinks
You need to check underneath the sinks and the basin cupboards. You will also have to check the waste trap which is attached to the fixtures in order to ensure that there is no drip. There are times when the rubber rings in the trap could perish over time and might have to be reinstalled. When you fix the leak inside the cupboard, it will prevent them from buckling caused due to high moisture. You also need to check if the water pipes which are exposed to the cupboard are leaking or not. You can simply tighten the flex hose connecting the tap with a nut and olive.
3. Toilet Cistern
You will have to check that the water does not drain from the cistern into the bowl while causing the cistern to refill up with water. With this, you could be allowing water to go down the toilet if you do not fix it immediately. You will have to replace the inlet valve as well as the rubber washer so as to prevent the cistern from filling up.
4. Toilet waste
You need to check that when the toilet is flushed, there is no water coming through the waste. You can replace the pan collar to fix this leak. It can help eliminate the water damage to tiles in the toilet area.
5. Shower
Shower leaks are very important and need to be fixed immediately. Jim Dodgson from SealRiteSolutions.com.au says that ignoring a leaky shower can cause mold and mildew problems that will be much more expensive to fix. If you live in a double storey home, you need to check the ceiling underneath the shower waste in order to check if it is damp. If you live on the ground level, you will have to check the surrounding walls outside of the shower in order to check for dampness and water damage.
6. Hot water leaks
You will have to check the hot water unit for any leaks out of the valves. A lot of hot water units decide to breakdown in the winter and it is best to check the state of the hot water unit before the winter months set in. If you have an electrical storage hot water unit, you will notice rust at the bottom of the same and this is a sign that you need a replacement of the unit.
7. Water pipe leaks
It could be difficult to find a leak from the water pipe because it is concealed in the walls of your home. An indication of a water leak is the damage to the floor and wall in the form of dampness and bubbling. In case you notice considerable damage to the walls, you will have to make a cut into the plasterboard wall in order to see where this dampness is coming from.
Apart from these seven checks, if you have taps anywhere in the house, you will have to check them. You can use a water meter to check whether the house has a leak or not. However, checking all the leaks through the water meter is not a good idea. You will have to run checks and understand how you can fix the leaks around your home. Identify the leaks at the earliest and fix them immediately so as to save money in the form of repairs and to ensure hygiene and cleanliness in your home.
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