Small leaks are often ignored and treated as a trivial plumbing problem. However, it must be kept in mind that they can develop into a big problem too even if the water is leaking by a tiny amount at a time. You may be interested to know the reasons why small leaks can become a plumbing emergency.
First of all, small leaks can add up to your utility bill and you will pay more money every month for water that you did not use. Eventually, the faucet will be looser or the crack on the pipe will become bigger causing more water leaking. You can use duct tape to bind the part that is leaking water. If it is dripping from the ceiling, you can put a bucket below to collect the water. The water that is collected can be used to flush the floor outside or water the plants.
Not only does it increase your utility bill, it also encourages the growth of mold on the nearby wall and tiles. The growth can cause rot in the drywall and other wood construction materials. It can spread rashes and cause other allergy symptoms. These mold growth are not easy to remove when it grows over a large area so you will want to do your best to stop the pipe leaking problems.
The water that drip pass the walls/ceilings can leave visible staining. The floor tiles can change shape or loosened when there is water constantly dripping on it. If the water is constantly dripped from the wall to the floor You should get a plumber to deal with the problem as soon as possible to prevent the mold from spreading.
Small leaks may be signs that there are other underlying problems in your plumbing. There may be other leaking spots if you notice one leak. It could also be a sign that there is a bigger leak in a nearby place. In another example, you see it leaking drip by drip of water and the next day the pipe burst and you have to replace the entire pipe.
Therefore, if you see one small leak, you should quickly call your plumber and ask him to come over to check for pipe leaking problem. The plumber can use a detecting device to detect the water leaking problem behind the wall. If they found leaking behind the wall, they can knock down the wall and repair the broken pipe.
Before the plumber come, you can take the initiative to shut off the main water valve so that no more water can come through the pipe. Even if you don’t notice any water leak problem, you should schedule to have your plumbing system inspected by a licensed plumber every now and then. Regular inspection can prevent you from facing ongoing leaks problems that can leak to a plumbing emergency.