What to Do if You Suspect a Hidden Water Leak at Home
Have you noticed how quiet it can be late at night when you first lie down in your bed? The hustle and bustle of the daily grind seem a long way away and you're grateful for some peace and quiet, so you can finally get some rest. However, something seems to be amiss as there is a strange hissing noise that seems to be coming from beneath the floorboards. Is this something you should investigate, or is it a figment of your imagination?
Time to Get Up
Unfortunately, this type of noise is likely to be linked to a water leak and the "hiss" is the sound of the water being forced out of a slit or hole in the pipe. It can happen from time to time as older pipes degrade, but if you're not careful it's going to lead to a significant water leak and that may affect the people who live below you.
Look into It
There's no point in trying to go to sleep now because you will never nod off with this kind of worry in the back of your mind. Instead, you need to get to the bottom of the problem before any long-term damage has been caused. Remember, this leak may only be a trickle now, but it could become worse rapidly and lead to a full-scale emergency.
Take Action
Often, pipes that lead underneath a floorboard are connected to outlets in bathrooms or toilets and will be a branch of your main supply. You can try to address the problem right away by turning off as many stop valves as you can find. If you can stymie the flow of water, then you can wait until the morning to call out the plumber. However, if you can still hear that noise even after taking this action, then you may have to turn the water off at the mains.
What Happens Next?
You may wonder how long it's going to be before the downstairs neighbour knocks on your door dramatically. If you're lucky you've caught the problem at a relatively early stage, but otherwise, you may have to deal with some repair bills or an insurance claim. In the meantime, get on the phone as soon as possible and enlist the services of an emergency plumber. They may have to lift some floorboards and otherwise disrupt your peace and quiet, but at least you will be able to get to sleep without suffering any nightmares.
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