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Plumbing Leaks

A Burst pipe, exploding water heater, or a slow hidden drip from an appliance hose - plumbing leaks can be a nightmare for homeowners.  Some of the main causes of plumbing leaks are:  Malfunctioning dishwashers, Leaky washing machines and ice-makers, Broken and backed-up toilets and sinks, Bursting appliance hoses, Leaky pipe fittings, and Frozen or corroded pipes.

Standing water is also a common problem caused by leaky or broken pipes. Excess water in a yard might come from a damaged sewer line and contain waste from the home. This is unhealthy for children and pets, and is a breeding ground for insects and germs.  Contact your local plumbing leak specialists, All About Plumbing, if you suspect you may need water or sewer pipe repair or replacement.

When water comes in contact with organic building materials like wood, sheetrock, or carpet for long, rot, mold, and mildew can take hold.   Depending on the materials and the temperature, mold can begin in only a day or two.  Rot takes longer, but can be even more devastating.  A water leak from a busted pipe that gets into your foundation can undermine the whole structure.  Damp walls and beams can also attract damaging and unhealthy insects like termites and roaches.

 

Emergency Action Plan
When it comes to water damage, your energy is best spent on prevention.    But it's also good to know how to handle an emergency.

  1. Stop the water.  Turn the water supply off by twisting the water supply shut off valve clockwise until it stops.  This valve is usually located just behind or below the fixture (i.e. toilets, sinks, washing machine).  In some cases where the supply valve is not readily accessible, you will need to turn off the main water supply. See our Emergency Service Page for more information.

  2. Move furniture. Remove everything you can from a wet carpet (dyes and stains on wood furniture may bleed onto the carpet); if you can't move a piece of furniture, put aluminum foil or a plastic bag under the legs.  Lift draperies up off the floor. You can leave draperies in place but get them up off the floor by putting them on clothes hangers and hooking the hanger onto the drapery rod.

  3.  If water reaches a wall, pay attention. If you can spot water in the carpet or it reaches a wall juncture, treat the problem seriously. It may travel unseen four or five feet along the floor, through the carpet pad, possibly reaching cabinets, walls, insulation, other rooms and the subfloor, elevating the risk of mold

  4. Get help fast.  Call All About Plumbing to get quick affordable plumbing service.

Although knowing how to handle an emergency is essential to limiting the damage of unwanted water in your home, when it comes to water damage, your energy is best spent on prevention.  Please see our Preventative Maintenance Page for plumbing tips or our Professional Maintenance Agreement Page for more information.

 

Leaking Faucet

A visibly leaking faucet is more than just a noisy aggravation – Every drip is costing you money!  Call All About Plumbing to get it fixed fast!  If an outdoor faucet drips or leaks, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced as soon as possible. 

The USGS water science school has a drip calculator that calculates the amount of water being wasted (a good project for kids - count the drips and enter the number to calculate the amount of water loss.)

Hidden Water Leak

If your water bill starts escalating, it could be a sign of a hidden leak.  Check your water meter before and after a two hour period when no water is being used.  If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.  Small water leaks can add up fast - wasting thousands of gallons of fresh water.   More than just a big water bill, some water leaks can cause extensive water damage leading to more expensive restoration bills.

Check for mildew on walls, ceilings, and under sink caused by standing water that may have dried up again.  If the wall is soft, there might be some water damage. Water that goes through the cracks will look like a plumbing leak on the ceiling below.  Test for hidden leaks around fixtures by examining the surrounding tiles.  Loose or hollow tiles can be an indication that there is, or was, a leak that has caused rotting underneath or behind the tile. 

Pipe Leak

Look for signs of leaks in exposed pipes, where pipes run through the walls or the foundation of your home. Signs of a leak include puddles of water and watermarks. Little leaks can cause extensive water damage leading to more expensive restoration bills.  Look for signs of corrosion. Corrosion of pipes can cause leaks and bad pipe connections if not corrected. A sign of corrosion is green stains around brass and copper fittings and on shutoff valves, and yellow or orange stains on old steel pipe.

Standing water is a common problem caused by a leaky or broken pipe. Excess water in a yard might come from a damaged sewer line and contain waste from the home. This is unhealthy for children and pets, and is a breeding ground for insects and germs. Call All About Plumbing Services immediately to avoid possibly contaminating near-by water sources.

Toilet leak

Inspect the tank and bowl for cracks or leaks. Make sure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down for a thorough flush or jiggled to stop the water from running, you may need to replace worn tank parts. They're inexpensive and you'll notice a lower water bill once they're replaced.

Push and pull gently on each toilet to see if it rocks or moves. Check around the base of the toilet for signs of water damage (rolled vinyl, black or white stains, etc.)

One way to find out if you have a toilet leak is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank and call All About Plumbing Services for a fast inexpensive repair.

 

Plumbing Service Request

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Baldwin County Plumber Map


Baldwin County Plumber

Testimonial - Foley 36535

All About Plumbing Services did a fast job repairing our grinder pump the same day we called. I am very happy with the results.  -- W. Perry, Foley, Alabama. (Plumbing issue: Grinder Pump Repair)

 

Testimonial - Daphne 1 36526

 …I will be recommending you to all my neighbors.  - S. Hammell, Daphne, Alabama. (Plumbing issue: Water Leak at Hot Water Heater)

 

Testimonial - Summerdale 36580

All About Plumbing [Services] did an excellent re-plumbing job for a very fair price. I shopped around and was referred to you by my neighbor and you saved me a bit of money. I would definitely use you again. - Amanda Martin, Summerdale, Alabama. (Plumbing issue: House Re-Plumb)

Fairhope Plumber Backgroound

Fairhope Plumber Backgroound