Water leaks around the house could lead to algae, mold, and moss growth. If left unattended, the results could be damaging as rot follows like a plague. While some areas are common, others might not quite be as obvious. General Contractors Los Angeles breaks down for you the 6 common leak areas around the house that you need to constantly keep an eye out for. Without further ado, let us dive straight to it.
Bathrooms
There are about a handful of water outlets in a bathroom. Most of the leaks occur along the length of the water pipes or just at the mouth of the showerhead, bathtub, toilet and sinks. For a room that is associated with water and stays locked most of the time, spotting a leak could be a passive reaction.
The most common reason for a leak in the bathrooms is clogged water pipes and drains. It could be from an accumulation of strands of hair left in the drainage after grooming or plastics from a bathroom product’s wrapping such as soaps. Additionally, a malfunction in one of the valves or pipes could lead to leaks.
Kitchen drain
This one seems rather obvious. However, most modern construction trends involve cleverly hiding away the kitchen drain behind a board structure. Due to this, most people only notice the leak on the kitchen drain after it floods. A common reason behind leaks in the kitchen drain is clogging. Food items that are missed by the food waste disposer accumulate and block the drainage. As a result, water collects in the kitchen drain and starts leaking from the smallest outlet it can find.
Roofs and attics
Most folks spot a leak in the roof or attic only when it starts to rain, which is a little too late. Leaks arise from damage to the roof due to improper installation, fire, poor repairs, broken tiles or shingles and problems with the flashing. Flashing is an insulation material installed around the base of the roof to aid in decreasing water penetration, which in turn would lead to moss, algae and if left unattended to, rot.
Skylights
Most shingle and tile roofs are installed in a progressive overlapping manner. However, this trend is broken at the point where a skylight is installed. Flashing used to seal off the base of the roof from the shingle prevents water seepage during the rainy days. Improper installation and cracks on the skylight is a major cause of leaks.
Gutters
During spring and summer, leaves and tree twigs blown by the wind end up settling on the rain gutters. They clog the gutter drainage which leads to leaks when it rains. If left unattended, rain water could flood into the roof, causing more damage.
Home Appliances
Some home appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, garbage disposal units and water heaters are directly connected to water pipes. This also makes these areas prone to leaks, as a result of clogging and improper installation.
Conclusion
Always ensure you regularly check the leak-prone areas in your home in order to minimize damage from water leaks. Our personnel from General Contractors Los Angeles can attend to any post-leak repairs in your household. Simply give us a call and ask for an assessment by one of our technicians.
