Water leaks and Plumbing issues

 

Apart from fire and smoke water is one of the most destructive causes of damage to your property.   Unfortunately by its very nature water damage may go undetected for days, weeks, months and even years. 

In the event that you discover a water leak or you notice a damp patch on your ceiling, do not ignore it as it will most definitely require investigating.  If you do not have a plumber call us today and we will put you in touch with one of our trusted contractors who will be happy to assist you.

Leaks within suspended ceiling are generally determined by a  “bubbling” appearance.  In most cases this is a result of water ingress from the property located above you.  We recommend that you make a very small hole in your ceiling to allow the water to drain into a receptacle.   This is very important as it will prevent  the water spreading  along the ceiling into lighting fixtures.  Please note that you must exercise extreme care while carrying out this procedure  as you may bring down your entire ceiling.

The causation of the  leak is not always found immediately above the point of exit.  Water will find the shortest path to the ground.  This sometimes means that if you have a linking pipe for example the water will travel along pipes and ceiling joists before dropping  to the next level making it very difficult to locate the origin of the leak.  Your plumber will carry out a “trace and aces” exercise to determine the cause.

These causes are often found to be leaking washing machines and dishwashers, sanitary ware, baths,  and showers.   Please ensure your appliances are properly plumbed in by a professional and are checked  regularly following installation.  Other major causes are waste pipes and service entry points.  We highly recommend that once or twice a year you remove your bath panel and check for leaks and damp patches around fittings and pipe work.

Quite often water seepage is found to be the result of is defective silicone sealant around baths, shower trays and sinks.  Make sure that there are no gaps or breaks within the sealant.  If you do notice a break  or cracking within the sealant strip , we recommend removing all the old sealant and replacing with new and do not attempt to patch it.

 

Quite often a “tell tell” sign that you or your neighbour has a leaking appliance or sanitary equipment  is the discovery of a persistent  damp musty smell.  Unfortunately these types of leaks can be notorious to locate, and we suggest that you check all the likely culprits mentioned above and contact a plumber as soon as possible

 

Other visible signs are the presence of mould or rising damp in one of the rooms.  This may be due to  a faulty over flow pipe or over grown planting immediately  outside your property which has covered the damp proof course layer between the  lower ground  course of brick work.  It is highly recommended that at least a 6 inch gap is provided  between the ground and the damp course.  If at any time you become aware  that your damp course has been breached,  please contact us immediately.

External  water taps can also be the cause of damp if the “ runoff water”  is not fed directly into a drain or soak away.  Should it be necessary to leave your home unattended during the winter  months , we do not recommend that you turn off your heating to save money.  By turning off all the heating will allow your pipes will freeze and  expand  due to the pressure of the ice formation. Once they thaw the pipes will burst causing excessive damage to your property.  By turning down the heating to a reasonable temperature  and leaving  your boiler switched onto to a timed cycle will provide you with peace of mind during your absence from your home.

Below are some recent photo graphs of water damage.

 

You have been  warned!!!

 

 

Click the thumbnail to view examples of water damage! 

 

 

 

 

Related Links:

 

Advice for leaking over flow pipes

 

 

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