A breach is when there is an issue with the plumbing system of your house. This can be particularly damaging if the breach occurs in the drainage pipes of the house.
There are several signs that you can use to identify a breach in plumbing that you can go through in this article as well as how to deal with it.
How to Notice a Breach in Plumbing
You can notice a breach in plumbing by looking out for the following signs in your house and in the plumbing system.
Smells
A breach in plumbing might lead to unpleasant smells or odors from parts of your house. You can confirm this if the smells seem to be concentrated around the areas of the pipework.
This kind of smell can occur due to the release of harmful gases in the air and into the house, which can be damaging to your health.
If the breach is in the drainage pipe for sewage, the smell will be even more prominent. This could also spread to your yard or garden, so it is important to check outside as well.
Leaks
A common sign of a breach in plumbing is the presence of leaks in a particular pipe or multiple pipes. This can take place due to high pressure in the plumbing system, blockages, poor quality of the pipes, age of the pipes and more.
Leaks can be visible through water dripping or wet spots in parts of your house. It is important to keep track of these leaks as they could otherwise create issues to the structure of the plumbing system or even the foundations of the house.
Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure can be another consequence of a breach in plumbing. If you notice that the water pressure in your fixtures is low or even dripping, then this might indicate a breach.
In this case, you should first ensure that the issue is not with the water supply itself. If not, you can watch out for other signs to confirm the breach.
This could also make itself visible through the drains in your fixtures such as sinks and toilets.
Dampness
If there is a breach, then there might also be signs of dampness on your walls or floors that could confirm this for you. Look for these spots throughout the house to make sure.
This kind of dampness might also be present in your basement or cellar. This takes place because a breach can cause a reverse flow, causing the wastewater to enter the basement.
This kind of dampness can lead to mold, mildew and smells which could spread to other parts of the house while also causing health issues.
Cracks
Cracks in the plumbing pipes can point to a breach as well. In case there is too much pressure in pipes that they cannot withstand or if something hard came into contact with it, then there could be a crack in the pipe.
These cracks can then lead to water dripping around the house, making it important to keep an eye on this problem.
You can also check the age of the pipes in case you need to get them fixed or replaced.
Clogs
There might be clogs in different parts of your plumbing system. This can take place due to a variety of reasons that include an accumulation of debris or sewage, backflows or even the presence of pests and rodents.
In this case, there might either be restricted flow of water through your taps and limited draining speeds.
There might also be leaks or cracks around the clogs if the pressure gets too much. You should also watch for the spot that the flow is returning to.
Sounds
Sounds might also indicate a breach in plumbing. These could be squeaks, water gurgling or anything of the sort that might seem out of the ordinary.
You can figure out where these sounds are coming from so that you can figure out the next steps accordingly. This will also be helpful to solve the issue as soon as possible.
How to Deal With a Breach in Plumbing
Once you notice a breach in plumbing, it is best to take action immediately to prevent the problem from spreading or becoming worse. If you let it be for too long, the damage might be too big to fix in a simple and affordable way.
You can take the following steps to deal with a breach in plumbing.
Turn Off the Mains
As soon as you notice the breach, the first thing you should do is to turn off the water supply at the mains so that you can prevent any water from passing through the plumbing system. This will ensure that it stays away from the breach.
You can find this main water supply outside your house, but it can also be situated inside depending on your preference.
Turn Off the Power
You should also manually turn off the power supply in your house in case the breach is too large. For instance, if water has gathered into parts of your house, this can lead to electrical shocks that can then make it riskier for you and your family inside the house.
In this case, you can simply switch off the supply until you deal with the issue.
Call a Professional
The final step is to call a professional plumber to fix the breach in the plumbing system. They might either make simple repairs or ask you to make structural changes in case the breach is too widespread.
The latter might be more expensive but can help in the long run.
Final Remarks
You now know all there is to know about what a breach is in plumbing, how it is caused and what these causes can lead to. Based on these consequences, you can then identify the breach and take the necessary measures to solve the problem.
Make sure you do not try making the repairs on your own as this could increase the damage and might also be dangerous.