Water damage in a home is no joke. Not only does it lead to costly repairs, but you could start growing mold. Left untreated for a long time, water leaks could mean it’s really hard to find a willing buyer for your property when you’re ready to move. It’s always in your best interest to detect water leaks sooner than later.
Of course you’ll look for obvious signs like a puddle on your bathroom floor or a dripping ceiling. But there are other ways to spot a water leak that are not as obvious. You could have an internal or external leak that is slowing increasing your water bill and causing structural damage to your home. Here are some ways to detect water leaks before your ceiling comes crashing down.
Monitor Your Usage/Bill
A sudden increase in your monthly water bill doesn’t just mean you have to cut back on your entertainment budget. It could also mean you are experiencing a water leak. If your water usage suddenly sky rockets and you can’t figure out why — it might be worth it to have a plumber come out and look for a leak. Hot water lines are more likely to be corroded and experience a leak, and looking for a warm spot behind the walls or under your floor can often reveal a hidden leak.
Put Food Coloring in Your Toilet Bowl
A running toilet wastes gallons of water every day. You’ll end up seeing a spike in your monthly bill and an internal leak in your toilet could ultimately lead to a more serious issue. For instance, a bad flapper could cause water to be leaking from the tank into the toilet bowl. This wastes water but doesn’t initially cause any real damage. However, you may find that overtime this type of internal leak could affect the wax ring. One day when you flush your toilet — you’ll be met with an unexpected flood.
You can detect an internal toilet leak by putting a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank. If the water in the bowl slowly changes color, you’ll know there is a leak. Fixing the internal parts of a toilet costs under $100 and is well worth the investment to prevent bigger issues down the line.
Be Wary of Greener Grass
That one patch of bright green grass on the side of your home? It might be caused by a leak that is leading to the outside of your property. Leaks that land just outside your home could affect the foundation of your property over time. Unstable soil may cause your home to sink and could lead to a cracked or uneven foundation. This could make a home practically unsellable because no one wants to deal with such a major fix. You want to detect water leaks even if the leak is sending water outside.
Investigate Peeling Wallpaper and Paint
Sometimes a leak behind the drywall of your home could cause wallpaper to peel and paint to bubble before it presents as discoloration or a visible drip. Keep your eyes peeled (no pun intended) for any type of wall damage or sudden changes to the quality of paint and wallpaper. Again, a plumber can come out with the tools you need to spot a leak happening behind a wall.
Did you fail to detect water leaks in your house? Maybe you have a ton of damage now and you can’t afford to fix it. California Family Homebuyers purchases Sacramento homes in all sorts of conditions. We may be able to buy your water damaged home for cash. Give us a call to see if we can help!
