Leak Star Leak Detection Blog - Leak Star

Don't Ignore Your Toilet

4/17/2018

Toilet Leak

No question about it, everyone has heard that annoying sound of the toilet running continuously. There can be a couple of reasons for a toilet needing to fill the tank over and over. The first is an easy fix, the flapper. The second is the reason we highly recommend, don't ignore your toilet.

Investigate the reason why your toilet has the need to refill the tank continuously. It is leaking somewhere and you need to do the leak detection. If it is the rubber flapper than it's pretty simple to fix. Just about any homeowner could do it, if not call a handy man. It shouldn't cost much.

It's important to rule out that easy fix. If that doesn't stop the toilet from running, you need to investigate further. The water is leaking out somewhere and you must figure that out. Water damage can be an expensive fix and if your insurance company finds you negligent, they will not cover the water damage clean up.

A True Story

This is the unfortunate experience of a customer who heard the toilet filling over and over. They noticed there was some water on the floor next to the toilet, assumed it was leaking under the toilet, so caulked very heavily around the toilet.

It was slow at first, but soon they began noticing water in the carpet of the room next door. Then water squishing up from the wood floor. They finally gave us a call to come and do a leak detection for them. What we found was far worse

Mold Removal

4/2/2018

Mold removal is really important, especially when there are children, elderly or immune comprimized member of your famiiy.

In the line of work we do, leak detection most mold is due to water damage from either and ignored water leak or a water leak that you may not have been aware of. It is important to use a qualified mold remediation company. They should follow the precise EPA guidelines in order to preven further mold contamination of your home.

The Dangers Of Mold

For those sensitive to mold, mold can cause a stuff nose, irritated throat, coughing, wheezing, eye irritation and even skin irritation. If someone is allergic to mold according to the CDC the reaction can be much more severe. For those with compromised immune systems or chronic lung conditions, serious lung infections can set in.

There is clear and sufficient evidence that indoor mold is associated with upper respirtory symptoms, coughing and wheezing in what might be otherwise healthy individuals.

Why A Slab Leak Can Endanger Your Home

2/7/2018

If you’ve just discovered that you’ve got water puddling, and you think it might be a slab leak, it can seem like an overwhelming problem. However, once you’ve found the leak, odds are you need to secure a qualified slab leak detection Carlsbad professional. Delay, or improper fixes from “handyman”-type contractors, can be costly in more ways than one. You want to make the needed slab leak repair as quickly as possible.

1. Your Water Bill

Many people first realize that they might have a slab leak when they get an astronomical water bill. Even if you weren’t worried about the water damaging your home, most people can’t afford the continued high cost of a leak--let alone the environmental impact of wasting hundreds of gallons of water.

2. Structural Damage

Both undetected leaks and improper “handyman”-style fixes can allow water to cause significant damage to the foundation of the home. If not corrected, over time the water can actually weather the concrete enough to cause the foundation to shift, and sometimes even cause parts of the structure to become unstable and in danger of collapse. It’s best, of course, to fix your leak correctly long before things get to this stage, which is why prompt leak detection, repair, and, if necessary, repiping service, are so important.

3. Cosmetic Damage

While structural damage to your home can be frightening to contemplate, slab leaks that well up under your floors can also cause significant amounts of cosmetic damage when they soak carpets and drywall, warp wood floors, and cause unsightly stains. This kind of damage can be discouraging, expensive, and can hamper your ability to enjoy your home. The biggest problem? If you hire an unqualified repairman, you might end up dealing with multiple slab leaks, and the attendant cosmetic damage over time. Nothing is more frustrating than having to repaint a wall again. The best way to make sure that this doesn’t happen is to use a qualified professional the first time, who can advise you whether a small leak repair is adequate, or whether it would be more cost-effective over time to simply repipe the system.

4. Health And Safety Danger

Ultimately, the most important consideration is the your health and that of your family. The biggest health danger with leaks is the growth of mold and mildew. Particularly if any family member has asthma or other breathing problems, mold spores in the air can be quite dangerous. Once again, the best way to prevent this is to begin repairs as rapidly as possible, and make sure that the person repairing your leak knows what they’re doing so that any water damage is halted at an early stage.

While nobody enjoys discovering that they’ve got a slab leak, fixing your leak shouldn’t be a miserable experience. We want you to be confident that your leak is going to be fixed in a timely, professional manner, and we don’t want you to worry about unnecessary damage to your home. As slab leak specialists, it’s always our goal to get your leak repaired in a timely, professional manner, so that you and your home can get back to normal. If you have a slab leak, give us a call! We’ll be glad to help.

Sources:

Why Slab Leaks Can Damage Your Home - www.accurateleak.com
About Us - www.leakstar.com

Water Damage Repair

1/11/2018

Water Damage Repair Carlsbad

Plumbing leaks are very often leave homeowners in need of water damage repair. If your are fortunate enough it is minimal, but sometimes is serious, possibly even catastrophic. The first thing you as a homeowner suspects a water line leak, you want to call us for leak detection if you are in Carsbad or other neighborhoods of North County.

There are various degress of water damage and the most serious types are those cause by black water, water coming from toilets and drains. Then there is water damage that includes mold very often because no one was aware of the water leak or it was ignored.

Both of these types of water damage repair jobs can be costly and time consuming for the homeowner. The damage from both of these situations requires removal of all wet and exposed materials. In the case of black water which is highly contaminated water, that means flooring, drywall, cabinets and furniture that have become wet with black water. There really is not saving these items.

Bathtub and Shower Leaks

11/8/2017

The bathroom is one of the best places in the house. It's where you can spend some time to take a shower and relax after a long and stressful day at work. It's also a perfect place to literally open up "shower thoughts" and think about family, goals, or life in general.

But what if your bathtub or shower has leaks that you can't repair yourself? You'll soon find out that it's also going to give you some sort of headaches.

Finding shower and bathtub leaks can be tricky to many, thus it requires professional knowledge.

Water Damage, A Homeowners Nightmare

7/21/2017

Water damage carlsbad

Water damage San Diego

Next to a fire, experiencing a flood and water damage is a homeowners nightmare. While a fire can be devastating, the chance of you having a fire are far less than you experiencing some sort of plumbing damage resulting in water damage. Homeowners are 10 times more likely to experience loss due to water damage as opposed to a fire. 28% of insurance claims are due to water damage as opposed to 3% for fires.

Water damage in Ladera Ranch is especially common on account of corrosive additives in the municipal water. So common that there is a lawsuit underway. Waetr damage in San Diego is also quite common due to the number of aging pipe in older homes.

Water damage can happen for a multitude of reasons. Of course the are floods due to heavy rains, which isn't real common in the San Diego and Orange Co areas. However roof leaks, water damage due to overflowing toilets, washing machines and dishwashers is quite common. But there is an incidious for of water damage that can often go undetected until mold and other damage begin to appear.

Water damage resulting in mold can be quite dangerous for some and needs to be attended to immediately. Water damage can even be damaging to the structure of your home costing you 10s of thousands of dollars in repair.

As soon as you see signs of water damage call a qualifed Orange Co leak detection specialist. Leak Star Advanced Leak Detection is not only capable and qualifed to find the source of your water damage, but they will be able to help you begin the process of cleaning up the water damage as well as any mold damage that may have occured.

Leak Star will remove all water damaged materials, whether carpet, flooring, furniture or drywall. The will box up your belongings so that they may be stored securely while the water damage clean up process is underway. We will sanitize all wet surfaces that may have been affected by black water, aka sewer water. This would include water coming from broken sewer pipes, but also water coming out of any drain lines or overflowing toilets.

Once all wet and damaged materials have been cleared, large dehumidifiers and air scrubbers will be brought in. The air scrubbers may arrive immediately along with full containment if mold is detected.

Once the water damage cleanup and dryout is complete, you will have a clean slate to begin putting your home back together. Water damage due to some sort of flooding, roof or plumbing leak is upseting. Let Leak Star Advanced Leak Detection help you clean it up quickly. 855-220-0188

Slab Leaks and Mold: Understanding the Dangers of This 1-2 Punch

7/10/2017

Quiet, gradual, nearly undetectable. Plumbing leaks can lurk within and underneath your home or business for months on end before their damage becomes outwardly visible, often in the form of mold. In order to prevent or stop leaks from undermining the integrity of your home or business, it is imperative to call a leak detection repair expert like Leak Star to inspect, repair, and clean the damage left behind from a hidden plumbing leak.

South Orange County homes, particularly slab leaks in Ladera Ranch, are vulnerable to pinhole leaks in their copper piping. Slab leak detection Ladera Ranch and South OC can be tricky, but assessing the presence and magnitude of these common water line leaks is your first step in preventing the growth of mold. Once mold arrives, the issue is no longer just a structural one.

Mold can spread like wildfire right inside your home. Once an airborne spore lands on a moist surface, mold begins to grow.. And the cycle continues endlessly. Mold spores are much more resilient than mold itself and are not limited to humid areas. They travel invisibly through the air of your home, carrying harmful mycotoxins that are known to cause respiratory conditions among other illnesses. This cycle of spread and reproduction can occur without your knowledge. Like the leak that caused it, mold works quietly, gradually, and often without detection for long periods of time.

Dangers of Slab Leaks You Need to Know

6/1/2017

Slab Leaks rank among the most-feared home repair issues as they can be difficult to fix!

If a slab leak develops in your home, you’ll need to have a slab leak repair San Clemente expert fix it as soon as possible. A slab leak occurs beneath the concrete foundation of your house. If neglected, a leak of this kind can lead to serious problems, including the danger of rot and mold, or even cracks and holes.

Unfortunately, slab leaks can easily go undetected until they’ve already caused damage to your home. Serious potential issues that make slab leaks or any type of leak dangerous for your home include:

1. HEALTH ISSUES
Slab leaks that are not detected can surface above the concrete. Once there, carpet and drywall become wet turn them into breeding grounds for mold. Mold exposure can cause respiratory problems like coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks and other respiratory tract conditions. Children and the elderly can be at greater risk.

Effects of Slab Leaks To Your Home

5/2/2017

Treating your home and property with utmost care is every home owner’s priority. A water leak often a slab leak should be dealt with extreme seriousness. There can be different causes of water leaks below your home's foundation.

Where are these so-called “slab leaks” located? When do these water leaks occur?

A water leak under the slab occurs literally underneath the concrete slab of your home where a maze of water lines are found. Sometimes crowded and shifting soil or clay below the concrete can put heavy amounts of pressure in the concrete itself and cause the slab to loosen and crack giving way to a leak eventually.

More often than not, in the San Diego & Orange County areas, slab leaks and most other copper water line leaks are caused by a chemical reaction created between the copper pipe and the additives in our public water supply. This interaction causes copper pipe to literally erode from the inside. Small pits develop and as they grow they erode to the outside of the pipe, eventually creating a pin hole size leak which under pressure continues to grow.

Early slab leak detection is recommended, and expert slab leak repair San Clemente should be performed due to the following effects:

1.Extreme water damage to your home which will cost you more money in the end.

2. High electricity and water bills can also be prevented if slab leak detection and repair are performed early. Don’t wait once you suspect a water leak. You will save yourself a lot of money, time and frustration of dealt with early.

A Carlsbad Area Plumber Performs a Leak Detection May Prevent Cultures for Home Mold Infestations

2/13/2017

An Experienced Plumber Can Perform a Leak Detection and Repair Hidden Water Line Leaks

Sometimes, it’s what you don’t see that can hurt you the most. Such is the case with mold, which can infest your home when leaking water or sewer pipes go undetected. If you’ve been feeling under the weather recently, but can’t quite pinpoint the reason, it’s worth checking to see if your home harbors a mold infestation.

What is Mold?

Before going further, it is important to know what mold is. They are a type of fungi that live both indoors and outdoors. There are thousands of mold species on the planet, and they tend to thrive in damp, humid conditions—just the type of environment a hidden water heater, slab leak or toilet leak fosters. To reproduce and spread, it releases spores that can unleash a variety of harmful symptoms.

Furthermore, certain mold species are also known to produce powerful substances called mycotoxins. According to scientists, common molds are known to produce about 200 different types of mycotoxins.