Plumbing pipes carrying fresh water into the home and sending wastewater out can develop leaks. The first problem costs money and the second is more of an inconvenience, although both can cause damage in the home if left unattended. Plumbers fix various types of leaks for residential customers.

Fresh Water Leaks

When pipes that bring water into the building leak, this drives utility bills up and can cause damage behind walls. The problem usually happens at pipe fittings that loosen over time. Homeowners might hear an occasional dripping sound and be unable to identify the source. They might see a basement pipe dripping from a joint. Unfortunately, placing a container underneath is not a long-term solution.

Wastewater Leaks

Leaks in the P-joint under sinks are fairly common. These pipes only lose water that has already been used, which means the utility bill doesn't increase. However, it's inconvenient to routinely empty buckets placed under those pipes. The issue can worsen enough so the container must be emptied two or three times a day. If someone forgets or is delayed getting home, a mess can develop in the cabinetry hiding the plumbing. 

Fixture Leaks

When requesting repair service, you may ask the plumbing for other problems to be fixed during the same appointment. For example, perhaps the kitchen faucet might drip throughout the day. Those drips add up to gallons faster than people realize. This means that the entire apparatus might need to be replaced.

Alternatively, perhaps the toilet developed a leak inside the tank. This sends water into the bowl that is replaced when the float reaches a certain level. The household residents occasionally hear the tank refilling for no apparent reason. In either instance, a plumbing company can solve the problem.

Relevant Statistics

All of these issues slowly escalate until they become a real annoyance and a significant waste of water. Over 1 trillion gallons are wasted annually in this country because of minor leaks, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A pipe or faucet leaking one drop per minute loses several gallons monthly.

Leaking pipes can also cause damage in the home. Pipes situated behind walls or cabinet doors in a seldom-used bathroom might drip for weeks before someone realizes a problem has developed. The sign could be an abnormally high utility bill or the odor of mildew.

Scheduling an Appointment

Leaking pipes and fixtures must be repaired or replaced, or the problem continues to worsen. Homeowners who need these services may schedule an appointment with a plumber at the earliest convenience. Contact a plumbing service for more information.