If you notice that a pipe in your bathroom in leaking, these tips by plumbing experts in Dubai can prove to be useful. There are multiple reasons as to why your pipes may be leaking – they’ve worn out over time, or a blockage caused a section to burst. Or you may have chosen to install low-quality pipes to save on costs, and instead wound up adding to your bills in repairs! Whatever the problem, there is always a solution provided you hire the right people for the job.
Diagnose
If you’re noticing puddles on the floor or dripping ceilings, you have yourself a case of leaking pipes. Hidden leaks behind the wall can cause the paint to flake off or bubbles to form under your wallpaper. It can also cause molding wherever it’s damp, like the area around your air conditioning unit. These are all tell-tale signs that water is seeping in where it shouldn’t, in which case it’s very likely a leaking pipe. You should always consider calling a professional as they can correctly diagnose as well as fix the problem within minutes, saving you time and money.
You can always choose to DIY the leak if its pretty minor, but there still remains the chance that you can accidentally make the situation more dire than it already is. If you’re adamant on handling it yourself, then make sure to work safely and have the proper equipment, including a pipe wrench, Teflon tape/Teflon joint compound, etc.
Locate
For visible supply or drain lines, you should dry the pipe using a towel and look for a pinhole leak. If the leak is around the flange, check to see if the gasket is intact. Once you’ve located the source of the leak you should shut off all supply valves to isolate the area.
For hidden supply or drain lines, the leak is considerably more difficult to locate as the water may be running along tilted water lines and then dripping in a different room. Locating these may require using access panels or cutting a hole through the wall or ceiling. It’s best to let an expert handle this to cause as little damage to your home as possible and quickly resolve the issue.
Fix
The fix is going to depend on what the source of the leak is – and each problem is going to have a different solution:
- Putty is usually all that you need for a pinhole leak, but if you see multiple pinhole leaks at one section of a pipe, then it’s best to have it replaced entirely.
- For leaking at joints, you’re going to have to disassemble the pipe, and use Teflon tape or a Teflon joint compound and reassemble it again. The Teflon tape or Teflon joint should make your joints strong and stable again.
- Large cracks in metal pipes: There are no fixes for large cracks in metal pipes: you’re going to have to replace them with new ones.
- Keep in mind it’s always better to replace the entire length of the pipe if it’s made of PVC or ABS plastic. Unlike most metal pipes, replacing these pipes requires special adhesive compounds and primers to join them to the connector. This is a little more complex and difficult for someone without training, so it’s best to leave it to a professional plumber or maintenance service.
The longer your pipes remain leaky the more problems they can cause. Early detection and correction is important, which is why you should hire a Dubai plumber to apply a fix or replace broken/worn pipes as soon as you spot an issue. On ServiceMarket, you can compare ratings from hundreds of customers and book plumbing services in Dubai instantly online.
