Keep your MN home cool and dry this summer! Leaks are sometimes hard to find, but easy to prevent. There are a number of things you can do to prevent and eliminate leaks in your home. Our team of experts recommends that you do the following on a regular basis (at least once per year) to prevent leaks causing water damage.
Best Way To Find All Leaks
If you leave leaks for too long, they will cause water damage that can cost a lot to repair. Being proactive and finding and repairing all leaks as soon as possible will prevent expensive repairs later on.
The best way to see if you have any big leaks is to turn off all water in your home and then checking to make sure that your water meter does not register any water movement over a period of 30 minutes to an hour.
Now it’s time to hunt for small leaks or leaks in your drains. Start in the basement and work your way up from there. A visual inspection for water damage will go a long way to finding leaks. Other indicators of leaks would be the sound of water running and spots that are cold to the touch. Also, check all pipes and plumbing fixtures for condensation or dripping water.
Avoiding Pipe Corrosion
Over time, minerals in water interact with metal plumbing and will often cause corrosion, eventually causing rust that will weaken your pipes causing leaks. Although it is difficult to totally eliminate this process, there are steps you can take to slow it down. The corrosion process is accelerated when water stands in the pipes for a long period. Running your water frequently will prevent this. You might also consider installing a water softener to reduce the likelihood of rust forming.
Upgrading your pipes to PVC is the only way to completely eliminate the corrosion of pipes.
Reduced Home Water Pressure
Simple, but it works! Excessive water pressure can cause leaks due to the extra stress it puts on your plumbing. Test the pressure with a gauge and if it is more than 60 psi, have a water pressure regulator installed to keep the pressure within acceptable limits.
Avoid using Drain Cleaner
Although using drain cleaner is sometimes effective in clearing small, localized clogs, it won’t work for bigger blockages and could, in fact, cause serious damage to your plumbing, especially if you use a big amount.
Rather than using drain cleaner, try to unblock the drain by plunging or snaking it.
We Can Help!
MN Plumbing & Home Services will help you make sure your plumbing is in excellent condition. Contact us on by phoning (612) 400-7435, sending us an email at Info@MNPlumbing.com, or visit us at 8850 204th St E, Prior Lake, MN 55372.