A Water Leak
Arturo bought a house in Kansas City. He inspected the house, and the plumbing looked fine, at least what he could see. Then he went to the water meter and noted the dials. He wrote the figures down, made sure the water was not running in any of the faucets and came back two hours later. The dials had moved. That told Arturo that there was a water leak somewhere in the house. A system with even a small leak could be wasting 6,300 gallons of water per month.
Finding a Water Leak
When you know there’s a water leak; now you need to find the leak
- The first thing to do is check the toilets by adding food color to the water tanks. Wait to see if the food color leaks into the toilet bowl. If Food color shows in the bowl you know, you will have to repair or replace the toilet fixtures in the water tank.
- Next, check the cabinets and baseboards smelling for mold or looking for discoloration. A leaking pipe, if it had been leaking for some time, would cause mold or discoloration of a wall. Suppose you find the leak in the kitchen under the sink. Now you need to expose the plumbing to see if you can fix it
Fixing a Water Leak
According to CT Homes blog. “The quickest way to repair leaky pipes in your home is to use a chemical sealant or patch kit. These are inexpensive, easy to apply and found in every home improvement section across the country. The only catch is that they aren’t as sturdy or permanent as a splice. If the leak continues to drip, people who are rehabbing properties will want to consider replacing the section of pipe.
A Bigger Problem
The pipe under the sink had a had a crack about three inches long. It might have come from the hard winter freeze. That means you will need to replace that section of pipe. Before replacing a section of pipe, shut off all of the water running through your pipes. When it is safe to operate, use a pipe cutter to slice off the damaged length. After you’ve done that, it’s just a matter of fitting in the new section of pipe and soldering it with sweat solder. Sounds easy right? Well, under a sink is not an easy place to work.
Sometimes a water leak doesn’t stop. In an older house, because of aging pipes, the plumbing might need replacing, then calling a plumber might be your best option. While small repairs are simple, you risk damaging the entire house if you botch a major installation.
The key to replacing leaky pipes is to take your time. Search thoroughly for the source of the leaks, and when you find them, don’t rush to replace a section of pipe, but run through the steps for repair. If you follow this advice, you can save hundreds the next time you’re rehabbing properties.
Terra Firma Property Solutions, LLC is a professional, full-service real estate solutions firm.
We buy and sell properties throughout the greater Kansas City area. We specialize in buying distressed homes, then renovating and reselling them to home buyers and landlords. Terra Firma Property Solutions: excited to be part of the economic rejuvenation of Kansas City and its surrounding areas.
Call us today at (816) 866.0566
