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Here is our ultimate guide on what, when, and how to check for leaks.

What leaks?

It’s a pretty simple answer, anything plumbing-related in your home. The starting places to look are bathrooms, the kitchen, boiler, airing cupboard, and even tanks in the loft. Although less obvious places like under floorboards in walls and boxes are also just as likely places for leaks to crop up. Unfortunately, they are less easy to trace.

When do leaks happen?

Leaks can happen at any time of the day. Although, the most popular time is in winter for a couple of reasons. 

  1. Freezing pipes from cold weather is the classic reason behind leaks. Metal pipes can reduce in size, and frozen water expands. Water pipes outside are best to avoid. Pipes underneath the ground floor and in lofts should be insulated to prevent freezing. 
  2. The other major catalyst to cause leaks in winter is that everyone runs their central heating system frequently. So boilers, radiators, pipes, radiator valves, pumps, and underfloor heating are all under more stress with consistent use, so far more likely to spring a leak. 

How to check for leaks?

If it is wet, it’s a leak! Not a rule for all, but if it is wet it is worth checking. Condensation (obviously not a leak) can cause dripping wet puddles and moisture around walls, boilers, pipes, enclosed spaces, causing massive damage. If you are unsure of what is leaking, then the best thing to do is dry the area with a tissue or a towel and then identify where the water seeps from. This is a pretty sure indicator of what is leaking.

In an emergency!

If you have water shooting across a room, pouring through a ceiling, or flooding a floor, you need to think quickly. Firstly, it is a good idea to know how to turn the water off in your home. This would be the safest bet to go straight to and then open all your taps to drain the water down. If you feel like you have more time on your hands, then investigate. Jumping on a quick video call with one of our professionals could help you save time as we can guide you through the next logical steps required.

Even if you have had to shut your water off, a video call with one of our experienced professionals can show you how to fix your problem or guide you on what to do next to avoid wasting time. Book at herofix.com