Water leaks can be very dangerous, especially if you live in a larger house. The larger the property is, the more difficult it is for you to acknowledge where the leak is coming from. And, before you get it sorted out, it can cause a lot of materialistic damage.
It’s not a secret that a lot of homeowners are afraid of water leaks, along with the rest of the accidents that can occur in a house, such as a fire or a faulty electric installation-related issue. But, the difference between these scenarios is that water leaks can be noticed before they do the damage, unlike with fires and faulty wiring. How? Find out in today’s article.
Below we’re going to list some of the most obvious signs of water leaks, so if you recognize any of these in your home, it’s time to call a professional or attempt something on your own. Let’s take a look at what you need to know.
1. Wet spots in the ceiling or your walls

One of the most obvious, and also most-concerning signs of water damage in your home is visible wet spots in the walls or your ceiling. This is something that should be an alarm for you to take action as soon as possible because the damage is already done, and from here it can only become worse.
If this happened in a house or an apartment that’s not your main home, and the damage is already done, you’ll require a water damage restoration service. Attempting to fix it on your own is impossible without the proper equipment, and even dangerous for those who have zero experience in it. Coloradowaterfowl.com is a website where you can read some more about water damage restoration service, or seek for help if you happen to be from Denver.
2. The strange smell of mold and “wetness”
If you’ve never walked into a room that’s been damaged by mold, then you probably don’t know the smell. But, it’s something that instantly feels strange even if you’re unfamiliar with it. The smell is odd and it spreads in the main room where most of the damage is dealt in, but it can spread in other rooms as well, so you might sense it from another room.
Don’t confuse this with the smell of post-rain mixed with concrete and wood. Although it’s similar, they are two entirely different things, and if you notice that something is odd, it probably is mold, and it’s alarming.
One of the closest ways of describing this smell is comparing it to a wet cardboard or newspaper. If you know how that smells, then you’ll probably be able to identify this as well.
3. The sound of water dripping or flawing

Sometimes you can confuse the sound of water dripping due to a fault with the pipes, with the sound of your toilet tank or boilers filling up with water. But, they are indeed two very different things, and they shouldn’t be confused with the sound of water dripping due to a faulty or broken pipe.
If you are suspecting that something strange is going on, you should close all the valves and turn off your boiler completely, then sit in silence and try to hear if the sound of water dripping remains. If it does, then you probably have an issue with a leak that you need to fix as soon as possible, because that water is going somewhere where it shouldn’t go.
But, if this is already happening in your home, then it means that you are wasting more water than you should, and that leads us to our next sign, which is increased bills for water expenditure.
4. Increased bills for water expenditure

If you’ve had normal utility bills in a previous couple of months, but suddenly you have a large spike in the price, although your expenditure remains the same, then there’s something wrong and you should check it out. Water expenditure can increase even if you are not the one spending more, simply due to a faulty or leaky pipe.
If you are unable to find the problem yourself, but you want to be sure that it exists, there’s one thing that you can do. Pause all water usage for a month, then check the bill at the end of it. If it says that you’ve spent anything more than you did, which should be zero, then there’s something wrong with your pipes. This is a red flag and it requires you to call a professional to get it done.
5. The air has increased humidity and is unusual
Last but not least, if you live in an area where the air has normal humidity, but suddenly everything feels a bit more “wet”, it might be an issue with your water installation. This sign can be a real life-saver, but it shouldn’t always be trusted on its own. Climate changes are pretty common in 2021, so don’t bring your judgment based only on one or two days when you notice something like this.
But, if it persists for a very long time, and the climate has nothing to do with it, then you should check out the water installation system to see if there’s anything wrong with it.
Conclusion
As much as they’re dangerous, water leaks are obvious to notice if you’re paying enough attention to the signs. Unlike fires and faulty electricity, they don’t spontaneously happen most of the time, unless a pipe bursts.
You mustn’t ignore any of these signs because water leaks are something that slowly builds up over time and then ends up causing a lot of harm to your property. On top of that, it’s very difficult to deal with once it happens, and it’s probably going to cost you a lot of money. So, we suggest that you either seek professional service or attempt to fix the issue on your own if you notice any of the above-mentioned signs.