A water leak in your bathroom can wreak havoc on your plumbing and lead to damage to your paint, flooring, and walls. Since water leaks aren’t always easy to find, here are a few key signs to watch out for that indicate you need to call us for help:
• Mildew or mold—Regardless of how often you clean your bathroom, mold and mildew can become a problem when a constant stream of moisture is present due to a leak. While it’s normal for small moldy spots to accumulate here and there in your bathroom, larger patches on non-shower walls are cause for concern.
• Damaged wallpaper or paint—Another sign of a bathroom leak is a wall with blistering paint or wallpaper. When moisture and water get behind the paint or wallpaper in your bathroom, they separate the bond between the wall and the paint.
• Damaged walls—If a wall in your bathroom is warped or stained for no identifiable reason, this is a good sign you have a plumbing leak somewhere.
• Damaged floors—Unless you purposefully let water sit on your bathroom floor for an extended period of time, it will rarely experience damage unless there is a leak. If your bathroom floor is stained, buckling, or cracking for no good reason, there’s a good chance a leak is the culprit.
• Stained ceiling—If you have a bathroom on the second level of your home, there might be a stain on the ceiling underneath the bathroom if a leaky pipe is present.
• The smell of old water—Old water from a leaky pipe tends to give off a musty smell. If you notice a musty or earthy smell in your bathroom after giving it a thorough clean, it’s likely there’s a hidden leak somewhere.
• The sound of rushing water—If you turn off all the faucets in your bathroom, but you still hear water rushing through the walls, there may be a leak somewhere in your pipes.
• High water bills—Did your water bill rise unexpectedly, even during a period of regular use? A rise in what you pay for water could indicate there’s a leak somewhere in your bathroom plumbing.