Why You Really Should Get That Leak Fixed – And Fast

When you spot a little puddle of water and realise that one of your pipes is leaking just a little bit, there’s no real sense of urgency.  After all, it is a drip once an hour or something and is hardly going to flood the house – or is it?  Should all leaks be treated as an emergency and be fixed as fast as possible?

The cost of a leaking pipe

One study by insurers Legal & General did a survey of claims and found that damage caused by showers and dripping pipes was actually more expensive that the cost of claims from theft and damage caused by burglars.  Their research showed that in the 2015-2016 period, the insurance giant had received 38,000 household claims for water damage and had paid out a total of £81 million.

Water damage claims account for 38% of all of the claims made with the most common reasons being faulty showers, toilets, cisterns and basins.  Within that figure was some 14,600 claims for water damage caused by leaking pipes, costing almost £36 million.  And the cost of the average claim for leaking, frozen or damaged pipes was almost £2400 while broken central heating pipes cost an average of £2800 per claim.

Added to the costs involves is the stress and the cost in terms of irreplaceable items damaged or ruined by the water.  We all know that water gets into every little nook of a space and when that space is your home, the damage can be staggering.  And because pipes are most often in bathrooms and kitchens, then these are the areas most affected if there is a leak.

Dealing with leaking pipes

So what can homeowners do to spot potentially catastrophic leaking pipes and what action should they take?  A quick inspection of pipes and running your hand along them and under them will quickly show you if there is any water where there should be none.  If you find any signs of a leak, then call a local plumber who offers emergency service, say in Stourbridge if that’s where you live so they can be on site quickly.

It also pays to know where your stopcock is so you can turn off the water and prevent the leak from getting worse.  These are easy to use and can prevent the situation getting any worse until the plumber arrives to deal with the problem.

Sometimes leaks aren’t easy to spot but if you have a water meter, you can check it and make sure the usage for your property hasn’t increased for no apparent reason.  This might indicate that there is a leak somewhere and would warrant a visit from a plumber to check the system.

Conclusion

Sometimes there’s no way to avoid a burst pipe as the damage is hidden and the burst comes on too suddenly.  But if you monitor your pipes for signs of a problem, you can often get the damage fixed fast and ensure that you don’t become one of those people whose homes have been damaged by leaking water.

Stats source: http://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/breaking-news/this-house-damage-has-cost-insurance-giant-81-million-39011.aspx