No We Aren’t Talking About Your Knees
If you have leaky joints then you could have a mess on your hands. And no, we aren’t talking about your knees or elbows though if you have joint issues you may be sharing some of the same pains as your home right now. Leaking joints are generally caused by a miss alignment or gap in the connection between certain piping fixtures. The reason for the leak could be aging infrastructure, improper installation, damage caused by a person or animal, or weather related wear and tear.
If you know what is causing the damage and leaking then you don’t just want to address the leak but the cause of the problems as well. This could mean that you need to wrap your pipes with insulation, protect them against animals, or in a bad situation replace much of the piping to bring everything up to code and working properly. You won’t necessarily know until you’ve opened up the wall or gotten under the house.
However, you need to be aware of how long the leaking has been going on. If you just caught the issue then you are in great shape. If the leaking has been going on for a while then you are at risk for having water damage and even dry rot in the surrounding wood or drywall. This can cause even more damage as dry rot acts like a cancer to wood. If it isn’t address in full and immediately then it will cause problems in the future. So, make sure to determine if you have any damage to the surrounding material, not just the pipe joint itself.
How To Fix A Leaky Joint
If it is just leaky then all it really needs is a little tightening. However, to determine this you need to understand what caused it. If it is anything beyond just a simple tightening job then you need to consider hiring a professional. Any type of extensive work may need a higher level of expertise than you may have. If the piping needs to be replaced at all then you may need the job permitted and inspected.
The point is that you don’t know what you don’t know. This lack of knowledge can be dangerous. A quick fix now can lead to larger problems down the road. Older houses can have mismatched piping due to poor upgrading. Some of the material may be slowly breaking down and deteriorating. You need to make sure that long term your pipes will hold up while you are living and enjoying your home.
If you purchased new construction don’t think you are completely safe. New construction may mean new material but it doesn’t necessarily mean proper installation. Did they use the right sizes for the house? Did they install it correctly? Did they properly protect and secure all of the piping? Lots of new construction skips corners to save money.
If you need help in determining what the problem is or can’t be sure that you have the skills for the job call us at Core Plumbing (858-538-6025) to schedule a visit so we can help you through the problems. We are here to help you save the structural integrity of your home from that slow leak.