The average American household goes through nearly 300 gallons of water each day, out of which some 70% is used indoors. What’s more – about 90 gallons goes to waste every single day! Most of this wastage could be attributed to water leaks. And while it is a common occurrence across households in the US, that doesn’t mean you should take it for granted and do nothing.
With the right approach and timely intervention, you can save hundreds of thousands of dollars that are squandered if you ignore or are unaware of leakage issues.
Read our guide to know the different types of household leaks and what causes them:
Types Of Household Water Leaks: Costly Vs. Catastrophic
Though there’re various types of household water leaks, the two most common are costly leaks that increase water bills and catastrophic leaks that ruin the house entirely.
Let’s dive in to get a clearer picture:
Catastrophic leaks occur in houses more commonly than you could ever imagine. For example, according to one industry research, about 14,000 people experience some sort of devastating water damage each day.
In addition to that, about 37% of US homeowners have suffered significant losses due to water leaks. These damages could be contributed to inevitabilities such as frozen pipes, cracked refrigerator tubes, toilet pipes bursts, and whatnot.
These catastrophic leaks have caused, on average about $2.5 billion of damage to local households each year.
According to EPA, on average, about 1 trillion gallons of water is wasted each year by households. Additionally, 10% of the homeowners are unaware of the large and small water leaks on their property. These leaks might not be catastrophic, but they still are quite costly.
The amount of water wasted annually is about the same that states like Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles consume every year.
The toilet leaks account for some 13,000 gallons of the water wasted every year. As a result, your monthly utility bills go up by hundreds of dollars and you have no idea why.
Let’s figure out what causes these leaks in the first place.
5 Common Causes For Water Leaks
Here’re 5 common causes of water leaks that every homeowner experience:
Water Pressure Is Too High!
Everybody loves to take a hot water shower first thing in the morning because it’s the best way to start the day. However, this can also indicate that you’ve got an increased water pressure in the plumbing.
Your house water pipes aren’t designed to endure higher pressures for extended periods and start to crack and leak if faced with such a scenario.
This is because the normal range of water pressure lies somewhere around 60 psi. Whereas, if the household pipes have a water pressure higher than 80 psi, it can damage them severely, creating several pinholes through which water can leak.
Why not call on Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC – a plumbing leak repair company in Charlotte, NC – to inspect the plumbing system of your house? They can quickly repair the water leak from the damaged water pipes and also monitor the water pressure for you.
Deterioration And Shifting Of The Pipes
After years of usage, the water pipes start to deteriorate and rust, leading to several crevices and cracks that slowly release water.
Additionally, the natural shift of the house foundation or frame can also be the primary cause of water leaks. It can affect the plumbing joints, causing them to separate or loosen, thus creating water leaks.
Though sometimes, it can be just a few drops per minute, while at other times, there can be a steady flow of the water seeping through to further damage the foundation of your home. This is why it’s crucial to detect and repair the water leak at the earliest since it can cause severe damage to the pipes.
Call on the experts for Charlotte NC emergency water leak repair. The technicians at Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC, can help you say goodbye to all your water leak woes.
Sediment And Rust From The Water
Typically, we place the water heater either in the basement, attic, or garage. And then we forget all about it. So when the heater begins to leak, we have no idea it’s happening until something goes wrong.
This is mainly because we think water heaters are immune to all sorts of leakages. However, that’s not the case!
Your water heater can deteriorate with time and also face sediment and rust build-up within the tank. Additionally, the built-in filters and valves can get easily clogged due to the residue build-up.
And that causes leakage.
Clogs In Toilets And Drains
Toilet, showers, sink faucets, and plumbing pipes (such as from the washing machine) can back up, get clogged and may start leaking from the pressure build-up.
As clogs become severe, they may cause the water to back up inside the drain pipe. If the water stands there in the line for a long time, it will start seeping through the caulking and seals at the pipe joints.
Now you’ve really got a situation at your hands.
However, don’t try to open the pipes yourself or use caustic drain cleaners – it’s too late now for any of that and you may end up causing irreparable damage to the lines.
Call the experts at Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC in Charlotte NC.
Rapid Temperature Fluctuations
Rapid temperature fluctuations – from hot to cold and vice versa – are another common cause of household water leakages.
That’s because when the temperature changes, it forces water pipes to either contract or expand rapidly and aggressively. This sudden temperature fluctuation causes water pipes to burst or crack, especially during winters. It’s essential to keep an eye on the temperature to avoid frozen pipes.
Emergency Water Leak Repair In Charlotte NC
In case of a catastrophic leakage, you’ll not only end up paying thousands of dollars to fix the damage but you’ll also have to find and pay for alternative accommodation until the remediation and restoration process is complete.
Why wait until then?
This is why taking the help of the expert, especially when it comes to water leak repair, water faucet repair, water main leak repair, or hot water tank leaking repair, comes in handy – saving you from water damage on your property and sky-high utility bills.
Call the Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC experts in Charlotte NC, for trustworthy and timely services. Contact us here to learn more!
