Plumbing Leaks—Identify And Repair

How do you know if you have a plumbing leak? Service Now Home Services can find and fix minor drips and leaks before they cause major water damage to your home or business in DeKalb, Sycamore, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Aurora, Winfield, Wheaton, West Chicago, and more. We offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services, so please contact us ASAP if you know you have a leak problem!

Water leak detection includes finding hidden leaks, underground leaks, sub-surface leaks, and under slab leaks that will result in water damage. Whether it’s from an underground leaking pipe, a swimming pool or an irrigation system, we’ll find it and fix it. Especially if you begin noticing an increasing water bill, it’s possible you’ve got a plumbing leak somewhere!

Let’s go over some common water leaks that can eventually cause rot or other types of expensive damages. Most often, these leaks are found in and around drains, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and showers.

Drain Leaks

Drain leaks can occur anywhere where plumbing is present, and there is a drain where water flows away from the fixture.

Shower and tub drain leaks happen when water pools around the outside of a drain with a broken seal. If the seal breaks from the drain to the material the tub is made out of, a leak will occur. This is most common with plastic or fiberglass tubs that tend to flex when you stand on them. These types of leaks can stain or erode the ceiling below or rot the floor joists. If the tub is set onto concrete, the leak can ruin the flooring in the bathroom or connected rooms. Check for water stains on the ceiling or joists below as well as loose or damp flooring near the tub.

Sink drain leaks in kitchens and bathrooms often happen at the slip joints in the drainpipe. These leaks can damage the flooring, cabinets, and even the ceiling if they get far enough. If you notice puddles, water stains, or a dank and musty odor nearby the cabinet, check to see if there’s a leak coming from the drainpipe. Loose or otherwise damaged flooring near the front of the sink is another sign to look out for.

Tub And Shower Leaks

These types of leaks generally come in 2 categories: splash leaks and tile leaks.

Splash leaks are simply water getting past the shower curtain or door. While this may seem like a minor issue, over time, they can cause damage to the subfloor. If you see curling vinyl flooring or loose tiles next to the tub, this is a sure sign of water damage. That includes peeling paint, flaking wood finish, water stains, and mold spots. It’s important to take this type of leak seriously because it can cause major damage to your flooring over time, resulting in an expensive tear-out and restoration project.

Tile leaks are when water seeps through eroded grout or caulk and infiltrates the wall behind the tile. Depending on the strength of the material used to set the tile, it may lead to tiles falling off the wall, rotting of the wall framing, and damage to the subfloor, joists, and ceiling below (if on the second story). Warning signs include loose tiles, persistent mold, peeling paint, or stains on the ceiling underneath where the shower is located.

Toilet Leaks

Toilet flange leaks allow water to creep out after every flush, wrecking the flooring, rotting the subfloor and joists, and damaging the ceiling below. These types of leaks happen where the toilet meets the waste pipe. Check for water seeping out around the base of the toilet, loose or damaged flooring, water stains, as well as a toilet that rocks slightly when you push against it. That movement means that the wax seal between the toilet and the closet flange is compromised.

Sink Leaks

Other types of sink leaks besides drain leaks include sink rim leaks and supply leaks.

Sink rim leaks are fairly common and appear as pooling water around the sink rim and faucet base. This will destroy your cabinetry and countertops over time if neglected! If you see puddles, dampness or water stains inside the cabinets, then you have a problem. Loose plastic laminate near the sink, a loose faucet base, or eroded caulking around the sink could all be potential causes.

Sink supply leaks underneath the kitchen or bathroom sink may not be as noticeable as other types of leaks since they’re out of sight. Water running down the pipes and onto the floor or subfloor will rot the sink base, floor, and framing. Puddles, dampness, and water stains inside the cabinet are all signs of trouble. If you see these, you’ll need to call a plumber right away.

Whenever you suspect a leak, call the plumbing experts at Service Now Home Services. We can identify and solve plumbing leaks for both residential and commercial properties throughout Kane County, DeKalb County, DuPage County, and Ogle County of Northern Illinois. We also solve other types of leaks besides those outlined above! These are just the most common types of leaks that we see. We can also help you with broken and leaking sewer pipes, underground pipes, swimming pool plumbing, and irrigation system plumbing. Contact us today.

Our Local Service Area – Mostly

We operate in the towns below on a regular basis. We’re set up to get to calls in any of these towns quickly, especially for emergency help.  We also do quite a bit of work outside of this area for clients who have moved and on a referral basis. If you don’t see your town listed please give us a call as we’re always happy to be of service if possible.