Called “the most historic small town in Texas,” Bastrop is known to residents as a great place to live. Unfortunately, it’s not immune to plumbing issues. Water leaks from behind your walls can cause a wide range of serious damage. Even a minor crack in your plumbing can be hazardous for your family. Here are four ways that leakage in the walls can be devastating for your home.
1. Encourages Microbial Infestation
One of the risks of a water leak in your walls is a microbial hazard. Mold and mildew thrive in damp areas of the house. It takes only a tiny water leak for moisture to accumulate behind your wall.
Mold spores can affect your respiratory system and cause sneezing, coughing, and chest congestion. Mold is dangerous for people with allergies or compromised immune systems.
A fungal infestation can also be expensive to remove. That’s why our experts at Parobek Plumbing recommend addressing leaks as soon as you spot them in Bastrop, TX.
2. Compromises Structural Integrity
Water can also cause a lot of structural damage to your wall. It can get into framing materials making the structure weak and unstable. Your drywall will warp and become brittle.
Leaks in your home can also be an eyesore. Rotting and peeling paint can ruin the wall’s aesthetic appeal. Moisture can speed up the corrosion of the framing or metal pipes behind the walls.
If the wall succumbs to the effects of moisture, it can be a hazard for the house’s occupants. Fortunately, using cutting-edge leak-detection techniques, professional plumbers can locate the leak. Addressing the leakage is cheaper at its earliest stage.
3. Introduces Contaminants
Leaking pipes can pose a contamination hazard in your home. A pressure difference in your plumbing will draw water from the piping’s surroundings. As a result, toxins will get into your drinking water from the runoff or a nearby sewer.
Depending on the leak’s location, it may include heavy metals such as copper, lead, and cadmium. These metals can have a far-reaching impact on human health as well as the environment.
Contamination and microbial infestations can also compromise your home’s comfort. The smell can spread to the point that it becomes nauseating.
4. Triggers a Fire Hazard
As strange as it might seem, a water leak can cause a fire hazard. A leakage behind walls can flow into lighting fixtures and electrical receptacles. When wires touch, the resulting short circuit could trigger a fire behind the wall.
There is also an electrocution risk. Touching a lighting fixture or receptacle could cause severe injuries and even death. If you spot a leak near an electrical outlet, it is best to call professionals to eliminate it.
It is worth noting that even the slightest water damage can be devastating if you ignore it. From Cedar Creek or La Grange, you can consult our highly skilled plumbing team for dependable services. Talk to us at Parobek Plumbing for fast and affordable residential plumbing in Bastrop, TX.
