There’s No Such Thing As a Minor Leak

Wrenches There’s a big difference between calling a leak in residential plumbing small and minor. There are definitely small leaks. But a small leak is still a major problem in a home’s plumbing, adding up to significant water loss as well as property damage. If you suspect you have leaks in your household plumbing, no matter how large or small they are, it’s important to call on professional plumbers to locate the leak and fix it.

Here’s an Example of a Small Leak That’s Not Minor

You may have heard of pinhole leaks before. As the name indicates, these are extremely small leaks that can appear on copper pipes. The cause of pinhole leaks isn’t fully understood, but it is probably linked to the presence of formaldehyde in the air or chemicals in the water in the pipes. Pinhole leaks start as pitting corrosion, which looks like grayish patches along the metal. This weakens the metal and creates tiny holes along it, allowing water to begin to drip out.

These leaks are difficult to detect, but the slow escape of water is destructive. Even a small build-up of moisture along drywall creates mildew that will eat right through the material. The corrosion will also continue to worsen, leading to more and more leaks.

Dealing with Pinhole Leaks

If you notice spots of discoloration on the walls of your house or staining along the ceiling, there are probably pinhole leaks responsible. Professional plumbers can use special leak detection tools to locate the precise place where the leaks are occurring so they can reach the leaking pipe with a minimal amount of disruption to building material. If the leak is still small, the plumber can cut the pipe open at the leak and then clamp together the two pipe ends and solder them. After they’ve finished, they’ll seal up the drywall and make the area look as good as new.

You can also trust to plumbers to locate other hidden leaks in your home that you may not have seen warning signs of yet. We recommend this for older homes (built before 1970) to see if they require extensive repiping. Sealing up small leaks due to aging pipes adds up to enormous water savings over time.

Even Small Leaks Need Professional Plumbers

If you notice a leak in your house, such as in an exposed pipe or through a section of the wall that’s collapsed due to water damage, you may say to yourself, “I might be able to fix that.” Ignoring that “might be able to” is never good enough when it comes to something as important as household plumbing, it’s still a bad idea to attempt to do this type of repair yourself. You risk causing further damage and creating a larger leak. To ensure the work is done fast and correctly, leaving your home looking great afterward, only rely on licensed plumbers.

To arrange for leak detection in Clovis, NM and the repairs to fix any leaks, we’re the contractor to call.