Water. It’s essential for sustaining human life. Water also plays a significant role in your home, where it’s the key to your water-using appliances and their ability to help you keep your home running smoothly.

What do you do when one of those appliances springs a leak? Call a Columbia, SC plumber, of course!

Before you call, explore five appliances that could leak water, causing inconvenience and possibly, damage to your home. We’ll also share our tips on how a plumber can help fix the leak and prevent future problems.

The Leaky Faucet

Chances are, you’ve had at least one faucet that kept you awake at night with the drip, drip, drip of water droplets hitting the porcelain sink. Not only are leaky faucets irritating because of the noise, but over time, they can result in high water bills.

Sink faucets aren’t the only culprit—a leaky showerhead (a type of faucet) can also be a pain point. Your Columbia SC plumber can troubleshoot and repair any leaky faucet in your home, whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry area.

Depending on the condition of the leaky faucet’s insides, you may need a new washer and O-ring. A rubber washer is the easiest, most inexpensive part you can replace. Waiting too long to address a dripping faucet may mean that you end up replacing the entire faucet instead of a minor repair.

To fix a leaky showerhead, your plumber may need to replace the cartridge.

Leaking Toilets Lead to Floods

If you discover a leaky toilet, don’t wait too long to call a plumber. It’s an urgent problem that needs an immediate fix.

How can you be sure you have a leaking toilet? Here are the most common signs:

• Puddles on the floor
• Continuous running
• Steady dripping
• Loud noises in the pipes

Sometimes, you won’t realize you have a leaky toilet until the day you receive an outrageously high water bill.

Plumbers typically check for a leaky water supply line. If they inspect the line and it’s still in good condition, your plumber will tighten the fittings. You may need a replacement supply line.

The other source of a leaky toilet is the dreaded clog. While clogs are more prone to cause floods than small leaks, they can still make quite a mess in your home. It’s also possible the clog goes much deeper and you have a backup in your main sewer line.

A plumber specializes in troubleshooting leaky and clogged toilets. And, if your toilet isn’t reparable, your plumber can install a new one in record time.

Ever Had a Washing Machine Leak?

Most homeowners have at least one story to tell about the day they came home to water all over the laundry room floor. Washing machines can develop leaks, but they also sometimes overflow, which poses a risk of severe water damage to your home.

Call for plumbing services in Columbia, SC, and see if you need the hoses replaced. If it’s been five years or longer since you switched out the hoses, it’s time for a change.

If you don’t know how to do it, ask the plumber to show you how to shut off water to the washing machine. That way, you can stop the water until the plumber can get there to make the repair.

Dishwashers Leak Too

Even though you end up with a mess to clean, it’s better to have a visible water leak in one of your appliances. Sometimes, leaks go unnoticed for weeks (and even months) because they happen behind cabinets or in areas where you don’t look too often.

A dishwasher leak won’t always spill out onto the floor. If you have a faulty water inlet valve, the water will drip under the dishwasher. Notice the word drip—it could take months, but a drip you can’t see can rot the flooring underneath the dishwasher. Now, you’re at risk for mold contamination.

Besides the water inlet valve, your plumber will also check for deterioration in the door gasket, drain hose leaks, or a defective float switch.

You may not ever have a leaky dishwasher, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never have a refrigerator leaking water. If it happens, you’ll likely discover a damaged water supply line. Your plumber can repair it!

Tip: Do you start your dishwasher and then go to bed, or leave the house? Prevent dishwasher leaks from damaging your home by not using the dishwasher when it’s unattended.

Water Heater Leaks Cause Big Problems

Whether you have a 40-gallon or 80-gallon tank, imagine the potential damage caused by that amount of water rushing out of your water heater. Water heaters can spring leaks, often due to corrosion on the inside of the tank.

Water heater maintenance can prevent many headaches associated with this vital home appliance’s failure, including floods.

If you haven’t already, talk to your plumber about scheduling an appointment to flush your water heater. An annual plumbing maintenance plan is one way you can ensure your water heater gets regular attention, which can help extend its life.

Several water heater components can be the source of leaks, including drain valves, Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve (T&P Valve), and shut-off valves. Most plumbers have a supply of water heater parts on-hand when they respond to your call for service.

Need to Find a Columbia SC Plumber?

We’ve shared what we know about the most likely appliances to leak water. What can you when you tire of listening to your leaky faucet, or you have a flood caused by a water heater leak?

Your best action is to call a Columbia, SC plumber to come out and fix the problem.

Contact the team at Plumb Time Plumbing today! We’ve been helping customers take care of water leaks and other plumbing issues for over 28 years.