What can I do to prevent water leaks in my home?
Water leaks can cause significant damage to your home. Here are some steps you can take to prevent this type of problem.
Summary
• How to prevent water leaks?
• What causes water leaks?
• How to detect a water leak?
• How should you react to a water leak?
Carefully monitoring your plumbing and sanitary equipment is the best prevention against water damage in the house or outdoors.
How to prevent water leaks?
Detecting leaks early is the surest way to avoid sometimes very costly repairs. " You have to pay attention to the warning signs. Seepage at taps, pipe joints, rust spots on metal pipes or verdigris if it is copper pipes, or even a stain, even a dry one, under a sink drain, should alert you ," warns Xavier Bernard, building project manager at the Construction Quality Agency.
However, in winter, in an unheated room, it could simply be condensation on the cold water pipes. To avoid accidents, remember to regularly check your plumbing fixtures, take a look under your washing machines , operate your shut-off valves to prevent them from seizing up with limescale, and replace your tap washers as soon as they show signs of wear.
What causes water leaks?
"The lifespan of the seals depends on the quality of your water, which varies in hardness depending on the region, and the temperature of the hot water in the system ," the expert continues. In winter, shut off the water supply to your outdoor taps and drain them to prevent them from bursting due to freezing.
Operate the safety valve on your electric water heater every three months to remove limescale buildup. Never use undiluted acid to unclog your drains.
"Acidic products attack plastic and seals and cause leaks. Keep your pipes clean by regularly using a biological drain cleaner or a pressurized drain cleaner that connects to the hot water tap," warns Olivier Unger, president of Atmos Products, a company specializing in sealing products.
Threaded joints often cause problems. Used preventively, Atmoseal sealing tape is an excellent alternative to hemp and jointing compound on all threaded fittings ( radiators , sink drains, etc.).
Good to know
Regularly replace your silicone sealant, especially around the shower tray, as soon as it shows signs of weakness. This is a common source of leaks.
How to detect a water leak?
You can equip yourself with this device (Bosch SmartHome flood detector, Grohe Sense, Somfy water presence detector, Delta Dore DF Tyxal+ detector), to be placed in hard-to-reach places or areas you don't visit regularly, such as under a washing machine or in a basement . These connected sensors sound an alarm in case of an accident and send you an alert on your smartphone.
As part of a home automation system, they can communicate with electrical outlets that stop washing machines, a solenoid valve that shuts off the water supply, or start a pump.
How should you react to a water leak?
When a leak appears, it is sometimes necessary to address it urgently while waiting for the plumber to arrive .
• Ribbons:
Some self-vulcanizing tapes temporarily stop a leak (Atmosolution emergency repair tape) but do not withstand pressure well.
Self-fusing repair tapes are more durable but tricky to apply. They must be neither too tight nor too loose. If applied incorrectly, it's doubly problematic because they are difficult to remove and water continues to leak.
• Pasta:
Epoxy putties are easier to handle. Two-component versions include a hardener and a resin that are mixed together to create a paste used to fill a hole or seal around a threaded pipe.
These products, compatible with all types of materials, withstand high temperatures and pressures. The ready-to-use single-product versions and the liquid products (allowing access to tight spaces) do not adhere in humid environments . They can be used to seal micro-leaks in welds.
0 Comments