If there’s water all over the floor, well, that’s one sure-fire way to tell if your pipes are leaking. But here in Fairfax, Arlington or Northern Virginia area, plumbing is not just an all-or-nothing thing. Much like your body gives you small indications you’re getting sick, your pipes give off warning signs that all is not well!  Here are five signs that you may have a plumbing leak happening in your home!

• Running water sounds. If you hear the sound of water even when no one in your home is doing the dishes or taking a shower, you may have pipes that are beginning to leak. You don’t just hear running water for no reason. If you hear it, it’s happening somewhere and need to be identified and stopped.
• Unusually high water bills. Don’t just assume someone’s been taking long showers again. Water bills shouldn’t vary much from month to month. If you’re starting to see spikes, it may be due to a leak. Compare your water bills from the same month last year to see if it’s jumped.
• Wet spots or mold. Keep an eye out for wet or moist spots, or discolored, moldy areas in your flooring. If nothing has been spilled, these spots may be caused by leaking pipes. Take notice if the spots occur on the floor near sinks, tubs or other large pipelines. 
• Musty smells. Leaking pipes cause damp spots, and damp spots cause mold. And mold smells. If you’ve got a musty smell around your home despite frequent cleaning, you may have leaking pipes. Try to sniff out the source of the odor and see where it’s the strongest. That can help you narrow down the source, or help you point your plumber in the right direction. Additionally, if your shower is growing mold at a fast rate, you’ve likely got a leaky shower-head.
• Foundation cracks. It’s normal for houses to settle over the years, but if you’re suddenly starting to notice cracks in your foundation it may be due to a leak. Water leached from leaking pipes can weaken foundations and structural components of your home, causing foundations or walls to crack.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you may have a leak in training. Don’t wait for the flood – call. F.H. Furr today to schedule a plumber in your home for free and help stop the problem before it starts.