Start by visually checking for drips and slow leaks on a regular basis. Be sure to check the areas surrounding your pipes as well. If you see water damage on cabinetry or other nearby materials, there may be an active leak that you’ll want to locate.
Your entire home plumbing system may not be visible, but there are certain places in your home where you can readily inspect plumbing components:
- Under sinks and washtubs
- Inside access panels near showers, sinks or appliances
- Attachments to toilets, water heaters and appliances
- Basements and crawl spaces
You will want to look at any piping, valves and fittings in the areas listed above. Leaks are most common at connection points, so pay close attention to the plumbing connections on faucets, washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, water filtration systems, shut-off valves and toilets.
Your home’s piping system may also have multiple connections between various sections of pipe. Appliances and fixtures themselves can cause problems, so be sure to inspect those as well, and keep up with any regular maintenance recommended by the manufacturer.
The signs of a problem will vary by component. For example, problems in copper piping may look very different from problems in PEX, a common type of plastic piping. In general, you want to look for signs of corrosion, cracking, hazing, discoloration and mineral deposits from a water leak. Click here for visual examples from Travelers Insurance to help you understand what some of these problems may look like.
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Information in this article is includes content from Travelers Insurance and is not all inclusive regarding the subject matter. This content is offered for educational purposes only.
