Monitoring Your Household Pipes
When the temperature starts to drop during the chilly Seattle winter, that’s a clear signal that it’s time to start monitoring the health of your household pipes more closely. That’s because with the cold weather comes a greatly increased risk of your home’s exposed or poorly insulated pipes freezing and potentially bursting. If you are unfortunate enough to encounter a burst pipe in your house, it doesn’t have to turn into a disaster. If you call a trusted professional plumber for burst pipe repair services, we’ll get that serious issue sorted out promptly. Before you can get your home’s burst pipes fixed, though, you need to be aware that they’ve burst. Here, we’ll take a look at a few telltale signs that one or more pipes have burst in your household.
Sign #1: Low Water Pressure
One of the most common signs of a burst pipe is a significant decrease in water pressure. Now, if you’re only experiencing low water pressure from one fixture, it could very well be an isolated problem. However, if you’re noticing weak water pressure all throughout the house, it almost certainly indicates a more significant issue. There are several potential causes for low water pressure, but if it occurs when it’s freezing outside, there’s a good chance the culprit is a burst pipe. Either way, you’ll want to call your local plumbing professionals to inspect your pipes.
Sign #2: Discolored Water
If you’re suddenly noticing discolored water in your Kirkland area home, it could be the result of a burst pipe. There are a couple of ways that a burst pipe can affect the color of your running water. For one, if a burst pipe goes undiscovered, it can start to rust, and that rust can start to mix in with the water. Alternatively, if a pipe bursts in the ground, it’s possible for dirt and other contaminants to make their way into the flow of water. Either way, discolored water is a major red flag.
Sign #3: Puddles of Water
If a pipe bursts in an exposed area of your home, there’s a good chance that you’ll see very clear signs. Namely, you should see puddles of standing water in the area where the problem occurred. And if you take the time to mop up those puddles, they will almost certainly come back, as a burst pipe will not stop leaking until it’s repaired. If you see any unusual water accumulation around your home, you shouldn’t wait to schedule an appointment with a plumber that offers expert leak detection services. They should find the source of your standing water and determine whether you’re dealing with a leaky pipe, a burst pipe, or some other issue.
Sign #4: Unusually High Water Bills
When you have a burst pipe in your home, it typically results in quite a bit of water being lost. Inevitably, that loss is going to be reflected in your monthly water bills. For this reason, it’s especially important that you keep a close eye on your water costs during the winter months. If you notice an unusual increase, there’s a good chance it indicates an ongoing plumbing issue. Granted, a burst pipe is far from the only plumbing problem that can cause your water bills to rise. However, if it’s freezing outside and you know that you have exposed pipes in your household, then a burst pipe could very well be the source of the change. Either way, any inexplicable increase in your monthly water bills should be immediately addressed. It may turn out to be a minor issue, but if it’s something as serious as a burst pipe, then ignoring it could end up being a very costly decision.
