I need a leak inspection. My water bill has doubled in the last few months. The water company has done their inspection and stated it may be on the inside.
Ladonna W
We have some pipes that are shaking in the basement when we turn off water, flush the toilet, use the dishwasher, etc. They shake quite violently when we flush the one toilet (it's a bit old and seems to use a lot of water pressure). It shaking seems to be the cold water pipes coming in from the main water pipe and that continue up the wall and over to our hot water tank. There is also shaking when we turn off a hot water tap--this time the hot water pipe going into the hot water tank. It is mostly minor shaking--except for when the toilet stops flushing--that is, again--some pretty major shaking! Our house was built back in '59--so we weren't sure if this might be water hammer and the house just doesn't have any arrestors or anything? Also, my husband is interested in having a shut-off valve put onto a toilet that doesn't seem to have one (the toilet causing the major shaking) and some shut-off valves replaced on our kitchen sink (the ones that are there do not seem to work).
Plumbing leaks in your household can range from simple leaks that are a mere nuisance, to large leaks that can flood your home. To fix a leak, you first have to determine what kind of a leak it is. The leak can be located either on the pipe or at a joint. If you have a leak in the pipe, it's better to replace the entire section of the pipe, instead of merely patching the leak. Pipe leaks often occur when the pipe is corroded, and a corroded pipe can quickly begin to leak in more than one place. If the leak is at a joint, you can stop the leak by merely tightening the joint.
Other quick ways to fix a leaky pipe include using a readymade pipe patch that's available in your neighborhood hardware store. You can also use water proof tape to wrap around the leaky spot, or apply epoxy paste on the hole. These however, are all stop gap solutions that offer only temporary measures to fix a pipe leak. To stop a leak till the plumber arrives, cut about 4" of split rubber hose, and slip around the pipe. Use a wrench to tighten until you can stop the leak.
Professional plumbers have more advanced methods for leak detection and repairs. For instance, if you notice wet patches on your ceilings or walls, you can assume that there is a plumbing leak. In such cases, only a professional can undertake leak detection and repair to eliminate the problem at the source. To find plumbers to repair plumbing leaks, rely on our extensive data base of plumbers. All our specialist contractors are experts in leak detection and repair, and meet all licensing and other requirements.