Costs incurred from undetected plumbing leaks can add up remarkably quickly. It is critically important that you know how to identify these leaks so that you can fix them before they become something more severe.
Here are some ways you can spot hard-to-see leaks and save your business from losing money:
- Saggy floors or ceilings: A surefire way to identify plumbing leaks is if the floor or ceiling begins to warp. Water can collect and weigh down the foundational levels of buildings, which, if left untreated, could cause holes or even collapses. These are often signs of a significant leak, so if you find sags in the floor or ceiling, call right away for repair.
- Mold appearing: If pipes are leaking, it can lead to higher humidity in your walls, which allows mold and mildew to grow. This could lead to health concerns, especially for those who suffer from asthma or allergies. Unexplained growths are a common sign of plumbing leaks, but they can be resolved quickly if caught early on.
- Odd smells or sounds: Sometimes the leaks don’t reveal themselves visually; in these cases, you can trust your other senses. Internal mold will leave an unpleasant stench in the affected areas, and often pipes will make strange noises if they aren’t functioning properly. If you notice unusual odors or new sounds when you run the water, it may be a sign of a plumbing leak.
- Higher bills: If you find that you are inexplicably being charged more on your water bills, there is a chance gallons of water are lost each day to an unseen leak. In a business, this could lead to large amounts of profit being lost before any of the previous points come to light.
If you keep an eye out for these signs of leaks, you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run. While we all hope to never run into these issues, you still want to be prepared for if and when they do come up. Hopefully these tips can spare you the pain of an unnoticed leak and help your business continue to run smoothly for years to come.