If you’re dealing with leaky plumbing, you might have bigger problems than some water on the floor. In fact, hidden plumbing leaks could be compromising your home’s entire foundation. In this guide, we’ll explain the connection between hidden plumbing leaks and foundation problems, give tips on detecting hidden water leaks, and provide suggestions for getting a plumbing leak fixed in Raleigh, NC. Let’s take a look.

Understanding Hidden Plumbing Leaks

Before we can get into the ways a plumbing leak damages your foundation, we need to understand the what and why of these hard-to-notice home issues.

What are hidden plumbing leaks?

As the name suggests, a hidden plumbing leak is any water leak that isn’t immediately noticeable. These leaks often occur in walls, under floors, or around your foundation, making them much harder to detect. 

Causes of hidden plumbing leaks

There are a number of potential causes for hidden plumbing leaks, with the most common culprits being:

  • Corroded or aging pipes
  • Poor installation or maintenance
  • Frozen or burst pipes
  • Shifting soil around your foundation 

Signs of Hidden Plumbing Leaks in Your Home

So how do you know when you’re dealing with a hidden plumbing leak? There are a few warning signs homeowners should always be on the lookout for.

Warning signs inside the home

Want to avoid foundation repairs due to plumbing leaks? The first place to practice good prevention is inside the home. There are a few signs that might indicate a leak somewhere in your walls, floors, or foundation, such as:

  • Unexplained increases in water bills
  • Water stains on walls or ceilings
  • Mold or mildew growth in unexpected areas
  • Low water pressure or slow drains

If you spot any of these issues, it’s possible you’re dealing with a hidden leak. Get in touch with the pros at Thermo Direct, serving Raleigh and the surrounding areas, to get help pinpointing the issue.

External warning signs

Symptoms of a hidden leak can show up outside of the home too. Periodically check for pooling water around the foundation, cracks in exterior walls or floors, or uneven or sinking ground near the house. These are all common signs of a plumbing leak somewhere in the system, and it usually indicates it’s reaching your foundation.

Advanced detection indicators

The sooner you catch a hidden leak, the easier and less expensive it will be to fix. Watch out for these early indicators to help you spot a hidden leak before it becomes a costly, time-consuming problem:

  • Unusual sounds of running water when no taps are on
  • Warm spots on floors (indicates a slab leak)
  • Persistent dampness in the home with no visible source

How Hidden Plumbing Leaks Damage Your Foundation

Consider the following risks of a hidden leak for your foundation:

  • Cracks in the Foundation: A top cause of foundation cracking, leaking water not only seeps into existing cracks and worsen them, but it also bloats the surrounding soil, causing the foundation to crack even more. 
  • Foundation Instability from Water Damage: Over time, water can erode the soil supporting your foundation, causing it to become unstable. 
  • Long-Term Structural Risks: Without the proper intervention, even a small leak can lead to collapsed walls or floors due to a weakened foundation.

The Importance of Professional Leak Detection Services

Ideally, we could reliably spot hidden leaks on our own. Unfortunately, it’s often quite difficult to find them without professional help. That’s where professional leak detection from a Thermo Direct pro in Chapel Hills comes in.

Why DIY detection may not be enough

Without the tools and experience of a local leak detection pro, you can only rely on very obvious clues to diagnose and pinpoint a leak. A visual inspection will only help once the issue has gotten quite bad, and noticing a change in your water bill doesn’t tell you where the leak is. Rather than risk serious damage to your foundation, call Thermo Direct.

Advanced leak detection techniques

A plumbing professional has many tools to help you locate hidden plumbing leaks, including thermal imaging to see through walls and floors, acoustic detection to pinpoint leaks, and pressure testing to diagnose leaks in your plumbing system. 

Benefits of professional leak detection services

Our plumbers can help you quickly and accurately identify and locate leaks in your plumbing, and help prevent further damage to your foundation and the rest of your home. This also means you can get started with repairs sooner, helping to reduce disruptions and avoid more costly fixes down the line. 

Steps to Take If You Suspect a Hidden Plumbing Leak

Now that you know how leaks affect home foundations, what do you do if you suspect you’ve got one?

Step one: Shut off your water supply. This prevents further damage.

Step two: Schedule a professional leak detection inspection. They’ll help you find the location of the leak and assess any damage it’s caused.

Step three: Have the leak repaired. We can perform the repairs for you using modern techniques and eco-friendly solutions.

How to Prevent Hidden Plumbing Leaks

Prevention is the best fix for plumbing leaks. Here are a few ways to avoid water damage from hidden leaks:

  • Get regular plumbing inspections and maintenance
  • Upgrade outdated parts of your plumbing system for modern, durable materials
  • Invest in a smart water leak detector
  • Address soil and drainage issues around your foundation
  • Rethink landscaping choices to avoid water seepage and structural damage

Why Choose Thermo Direct Leak Detection Services?

Thermo Direct is your go-to company for finding and fixing hidden leaks. Our team has decades of experience and the skills you need to find even the most hard-to-spot leaks. After using advanced technology for accurate detection, we can quickly start on repairs, a foundation damage assessment, and any other necessary services, including drain cleaning. With services tailored for both residential and commercial properties, we’re here to serve all your plumbing needs.

On top of our skill and expertise, we’re proud of our customer-centric approach, offering transparent pricing, upfront, no-strings estimates, financing options, discounts, and, of course, fast response times for those crucial plumbing emergencies. 

Contact Us for Professional Leak Detection Services

If you suspect you’re dealing with a hidden leak or simply want the peace of mind of a leak inspection, we’re here to help. For all of your Raleigh leak detection needs, contact us today! 

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