Leak Star Leak Detection Blog - Leak Star

Have Your Pipes Burst? Take these Precautionary Measures Before Calling a Plumber Serving Encinitas

2/3/2017

An Encinitas Area Plumber Repairs Water Line Leaks Quickly and Efficiently

A burst or leaking pipe is an emergency that every homeowner eventually encounters. This often occurs if your home has older pipe lines or excessive pressure due to a faulty regulator.

Whatever the cause, water line leaks and their consequent repairs can cost you thousands of dollars. But if you know the proper steps to take in the event of a water leak, you can mitigate the damage—and the costs—incurred.

Repiping - When Is It Time?

1/20/2017

Repiping, when is it time to just go ahead and do it? This is a question many homeowners face. Repiping Carlsbad homes is common and at some point it just makes sense to go ahead and do it.

When is it time to just go ahead and consider repiping Encintas homes? Our recommendation to everyone is if you have had to do more than two reroute or single line repiping, than it's time. Or if your home is very old, and you have had at least one major water line leak, repiping is something you really want to consider.

Repiping Ladera Ranch homes is very common. The Ladera Ranch area has significant problems with copper pinhole leaks. Many homeowners have decided with the history of Ladera Ranch that repiping is the way to go after even just one water line leak.

There is also a great need for repiping San Marcos homes. Many of those homes are older and after a single leak it is often determined that repiping the house is a good idea for peace of mind.

Plumbing Re-route or Plumbing Repipe

12/22/2016

If you found this post on Plumbing Re-route or Plumbing Repipe, it's probably because you know you have a plumbing leak. Maybe you have been unfortunate enough to experience more than one. Before even thinking about the potential of a reroute or repipe, give Leak Star a call and we can help you to evaluate your options.

Repair

Repairing your plumbing leak could still be an option. If the timing is bad, finances just aren't available, then certainly a plumbing repair of the specific leaking pipe is always an option. A plumbing repair will get you back up and running quickly and with minimal costs by comparison. If however your plumbing is older or is copper that has been affected by additives in our water or you have experience multiple plumbing leaks in your water pipes or you have an under concrete slab leak.....then really a reroute or repipe is something your must consider.

Re-Route

Reroutes are the best and in our opinion the only option when your plumbing leak is under the slab. There is no need to tear up your flooring and jack hammer a hole in the concrete to fix the leaking pipe. Not only is that costly, destructive and disruptive to your life, but very often when a copper pipe springs a leak, it is very like to spring a leak in the future.

Are re-route will simply bypass the faulty plumbing no matter what the plumbing materials that were used. Damage to drywall can be minimal IF your plumber really understands plumbing from the ground up. Timo owner of Leak Star has spent decades as a plumbing contractor. Timo has actually installed the plumbing in countless San Diego homes.

Repipe

How Keeping Plumbing in Your Home Leak-Free Can Help Reduce Water Rates

12/20/2016

Proper Plumbing for Your Home Will Contribute to Less Wasted WaterPicture

According to the Municipal Water District, water rates in Carlsbad, California, will increase effective January 1, 2017. The new water rate hike may add around $5 a month for the average household, which the Water District attributed to the rising costs of imported water from the Colorado River and Northern California.

Besides the heightened cost of imported water, another possible reason for higher water bills is water waste caused by leaky pipes. Based on the report of the Department of Water Resources of California, the whole state loses around 228 billion water gallons annually due to damaged or eroded pipes. Home owners will benefit from understanding the components of their water rates and the role of timely plumbing repairs in reducing water waste and increasing rates.

Protect Your Home From Water & Mold Damage When Away

6/20/2016

Plumbing Leak While on Vacation

One of the worst scenarios as a homeowner is to come home from vacation to find that while you were away, at some point your plumbing began leaking. You may find significant water damage to the ceiling, drywall, floors and furniture. This is catastrophic loss. To make matters even worse, If it had been more than 24-48 hrs. since plumbing water started leaking, you will likely be looking at mold damage as well. With each and every day that goes by, the mold will spread further and further. It can even spread to distant locations simply because of increased humidity in the home. All of this made even worse during warmer weather.

Of course immediately call in a qualified plumber who can perform a leak detection and dry out if needed. At Leak Star, we are qualified to make the leak detection, make the plumbing repairs and then clean up the water and mold damage.

Prevention of water and mold damage in the first place is a far better option. It's really simple to do, just turn off the water to your house before you leave for more than just an overnite trip. Even if you live in a condominium or town home, you will have your own water shut off.

San Diego is Plagued By Pinhole Plumbing Leaks

5/28/2016

A few years ago we had friends who were unfortunate enough to experience a significant plumbing leak in their home. The leak and damage was repaired and everything seemed to return to normal.....or did it? Just 2 short weeks later a copper pipe in their home sprung another plumbing leak. They were told a copper repiping of their Carlsbad home was the only answer. The ordeal that followed was so stressful that they ended up in a hotel for nearly 2 weeks.

How is that possible? We perform slab leak detection services daily and believe it or not, this is not that uncommon. In fact in Orange County just to the north of San Diego there are over a dozen law suits pending with multiple copper pipe pinhole leaks as the reason. There are several class action suits filed by the residents of the Ladera Ranch area, all telling a similar story. Multiple pinhole pinhole plumbing leaks in their copper pipes.

You are likely thinking how in the world does water corrode the inside of a copper pipe? Well, if you think about it, that idea isn't really that far fetched when you think about how water has shaped the surface of our earth. But is that what's really going on in the case of these copper water pipes leaking? Copper pipe has been used for decades without these kinds of issues.

DIY Early Plumbing Leak Detection

3/17/2016

DIY Plumbing Leak Detection

We all want to save our hard earned dollars and avoid disasters. By using these DIY early plumbing & slab leak detection tips you could do both. Much of your plumbing water lines are deep underground or under the slab of your home. So the signs of a plumbing leak may not be obvious. Nevertheless a water leak usually will yield some clues.

Chances are one of the first things you notice that might be suspect is your water usage and an increasing water bill. 12,000 gallons of water per month is average for a family of 4. If you notice a consistent increase or even a significant jump in your water bill yet your usage has not changed, a plumbing leak is highly suspect. Your water bills should remain relatively consistent if your household stays the same.

If you notice a warm spot on your floor, it could becoming from under your concrete slab. It could possibly be a slab leak, even if you are not seeing water anywhere else. You may hear the sound of running water or a drip, all of these are clues you need a professional plumber to inspect your plumbing lines.

Repiping Carlsbad Homes

11/26/2015

Reppiping Carlsbad Encinitas PEX pipe

After doing leak detections in North County, we often find ourselves repiping Carlsbad homes as well as repiping Encinitas homes. Repiping your home or business is sometimes the best solution, especially if you have had multiple water line leaks or under concrete fountdation slab leaks.

Repiping your home does not need to be as traumatizing as it sounds. If you hire a plumbing contractor who has the experience a relatively small amount of damage should be done to your home. Here at Leak Star our aim is to keep you in your home while we work around you if that is what you choose to do. We are efficien, clean, and fast

There are a couple of options when repiping Carlsbad and Encinitas homes. Your plumber can use copper or they can use PEX pipe. At Leak Star our preference is PEX pipe. Your first thought no doubt is that copper is the much better choice, but as the experts let me explain why we like PEX pipe over copper.

First off, copper pipe is somewhat of a problem due to the additives in our municipal water. Often that is the reason you are experiencing water line or slab leaks in the first place. The additives react with the copper causing pitting and errosion on the inside of the copper pipe.

The second reason is the cost, not just to your wallet, but in your time. A copper repipe is a much more lengthy process and the damage to your home will be far greater. The mess will be significantly greater and staying elsewhere during the repiping service is really a must.

Why repiping Carlsbad homes with PEX is our first choice is fairly simple. First, you will not have those municipal water issues with PEX pipe. PEX is a flexible plastic material.

The second reason is the cost to you, both in time and damage to your home. Being that PEX pipe is flexible, fewer and much smaller holes are needed to be cut in the drywall. PEX can be fished through many pre-existing water lines. A average 3 bedroom house should take approximately 3 days or less to complete. Leak Star can usually perform a plumbing reroute without you needing to stay elsewhere.

Continuing to repair one plumbing water line leak after another will slowly drain your wallet and cost you far more in the long run. If you are on your second or third leak, give us a call so we can answer your questions and give you some peace of mind.