How to Detect and Repair a Pipe Leak in Your Wilmington Home

Staying on top of your home’s plumbing might be the difference between a fairly simple fix or extensive repairs to your home’s walls, ceiling, and floors. Knowing how to find and repair a pipe leak may help you avoid water damage, wasted water and the temporary loss of use from a fixture in your home.

Finding a Leak

Peeling paint or loose tiles, stained drywall, warped cabinet bases, or the smell of mold and mildew are often the first signs of plumbing leaks. Sometimes the leak is fairly easy to pinpoint, although not always. Water follows the path of least resistance, and a pipe running through an attic or wall can drip feet away from its point of origin.

The joint between a bathtub or shower’s drainpipe may develop a leak, especially common with fiberglass fixtures. The bond between the drain and the tub flexes that can create cracks around the drain.

Look for pooled water, bulging wood or moisture under cabinets or signs of water stains or drips on the drain pipes. Sometimes the water supply lines develop leaks as well. Look for hard water stains or corrosion on the valve, or feel the pipe for moisture.

Fixing a Leak

Unless access is difficult, it’s fairly easy to repair a pipe leak. Tightening the nuts on the drainage pipes might be all it takes, although you may need new washers. A leak around the shower drain involves removing the old drain, applying plumber’s putty, and installing a replacement.

Special tools may be required to loosen the drain, and as you do it, be careful not to force it, or risk damaging the waste shoe beneath it. Leaks inside the walls or attic call for the assistance of a qualified, licensed plumber, since they’re difficult to access and will require plumbing equipment, as well as tools for cutting and joining the pipes.

The expert plumbers at Sobieski Services, Inc. can help you repair a pipe leak of any size and severity. We’ve provided HVAC and plumbing services for homeowners in Wilmington and the surrounding areas since 1987.

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