When it comes to the plumbing in your house, sometimes there are obvious visual clues of issues. For example, when a drain is blocked, you will likely notice this quickly because the water will not drain out of the sink. However, there are other times when plumbing issues are less obvious. As a first-time homeowner, you might suspect that you may have a broken pipe in your house. Here are three common indicators of a broken plumbing pipe which will help you confirm that it is time to call out an emergency plumber.
Strange Noises
Noises are one of the first hints a plumbing pipe is broken somewhere you can't see, and there are a variety of different sounds which you may hear. A high-pitched whistle is one such audible clue. This sound is produced when the water flow has to slow down to enter a narrow portion of the pipe. The pipe has likely narrowed because part of it has broken off and collapsed in on itself. Another sound you may hear can be likened to a bubbling river. Bubble tones are produced when the broken pipe breaks up the even flow of the water. The bubble or gurgle sound is the water trying to move past the breakage. If you can't hear any noise, then the next sense to rely on is your sense of smell.
Strange Smells
The next indicator of a broken pipe is when you can smell an odour which should not be in your home. For example, if you smell sewage anywhere near the toilet area, then it is probable a broken pipe is seeping sewage. The smell of rotting food near the kitchen is an indicator that food scraps are not being flushed away after being churned through the waste disposal. This odour is either due to a blockage or a broken pipe.
Strange Damp Spots
Finally, the presence of damp spots on your ceiling or walls is a visual clue that you have a broken pipe within your wall cavity. This can happen due to old pipes corroding and the water pressure being too much to be contained in the weakened plumbing.
Once you have identified that you have a broken pipe in your home, turn off the water at your main access point and call an emergency plumber. The sooner they come to fix your broken pipe, the less permanent damage will be done to your home.
