Can you imagine your home without efficient plumbing? Needless to say, it would make your home life very inconvenient. After all, plumbing services are responsible for water flowing in and out of your home, hot showers, flushing toilets, and more. From ignoring local water heater repair to leaks, here are the dangers of neglecting plumbing issues.

Uncontrollable Water Bills

Not taking your plumbing issue seriously could be dangerous for your wallet. For example, leaks are the most common plumbing issues residences have to deal with. If water leaks are uncontrolled in your home, they can lead to a rise in water waste. As a result, your water bills will also rise. That's a lot of money and a lot of wasted water that you won't get back because you didn't intend to fix that leak when the signs were there. A good way to avoid the danger of wasting water and your hard-earned money is by checking your water meter. If your water meter appears to go up but your usage hasn't, you likely have hidden leaks that only a professional plumber can detect. Also, don't ignore that leaky faucet, as each drop of water is wasting away and adding to the billions of gallons of water that American homes waste every year.

Property Damage

Speaking of leaks and water waste, it can wreak havoc on your beloved property. Water damage is the bane of any homeowner's existence as it can ruin your foundation and drywall. If a pipe has a crack, it can leak into your foundation and cause wood rot. As a result, your foundation will weaken and your home won't be safe. After all, a weakened foundation can't hold up its walls and floors, and a cave-in can happen at any time.

This damage doesn't just happen from a busted pipe. If you don't handle your water heater repair, it can also leak and cause the same type of water damage as a cracked pipe does. Be mindful and check your water heater occasionally, even if your hot water is flowing as it should.

Environmental Hazard

Not taking your plumbing issue seriously could lead to an environmental hazard on your property. It can all start from a place as simple as your drain. What if you have a clog in your bathroom or kitchen sink? Maybe some hair got stuck in your bathroom tub when washing your hair. You may be tempted to handle this problem on your own and reach for those harsh over-the-counter chemicals that claim to cure tough clogs in a few minutes. The problem is these over-the-counter chemical solutions do more harm than good.

Not only do they not handle a deep clog, but they also damage your drain and pipes. If you use them long enough, they can continue to wreak havoc in your sewage tank. They can even eventually seep out through your septic tank and into the soil. Once it contaminates the soil, it can further leach into your water supply. In other words, you may be the source of an environmental hazard if you overuse these chemical solutions. If you have a clog or a stuffed drain in your home, take it seriously and let the plumbers handle it with their professional tools. After all, what you may think is a simple drain clog may be a deeper issue, such as an overflowing septic tank that needs to be emptied.

Health Concerns

As mentioned, one of the side effects of ignoring issues like leaks or local water heater repair concerns is the water damage that can happen. It doesn't take long for a wet surface to breed mold. Mold can be very detrimental to your respiratory health. If you have any type of allergies, mold will exacerbate them. It can create breathing problems like emphysema or bronchitis and arthritis. Not being able to breathe properly in your own home can lead to problems like sleep issues and anxiety. If your child or pet accidentally touches or ingests mold, it could make them sick, cause skin irritations, and more.

Not properly tending to clogged drains may also inadvertently lead to an insect infestation. After all, mosquitoes are attracted to standing water, even the small amount of water that might be pooling in your drain system. It doesn't take long for mosquitoes to lay as many as hundreds of eggs. If you develop an insect infestation on your property, you may be susceptible to some of the diseases that they carry. Don't forget other vermin like cockroaches and even rodents are also attracted to your water supply. They're just as attracted to water as they are to food in your home, so if you have a leaky faucet or a pooling drain, you're making it easy for them to invade your kitchens and bathrooms.

Water Waste

According to the EPA, a small leak in an American home can waste over 10,000 gallons of water annually. Just because the planet is mostly made of water, doesn't mean that wasting this resource isn't a big deal. Water pollution is a major issue, so clean water isn't necessarily available everywhere. Remember, there are towns around the world dealing with a water crisis. Try not to take your access to clean, flowing water for granted and think that it's okay to waste it. If you suspect a leak or don't know why your water usage is out of control, bringing in professionals to look at it can help you be more responsible regarding this precious resource.

Value Decrease

Your home is just as much of an asset as it is a place for you to live and thrive. Therefore, you don't want your home value to increase, especially when you've put so much time and energy into it. Even if you don't plan on moving from your home anytime soon, home value is essential to your overall personal net worth. You want to build equity, so you're not living in a home that becomes worthless. Unfortunately, if you don't tend to plumbing problems in a timely manner, you may end up causing structural damage to your home, creating an environmental hazard, breeding mold that creates health issues, and so on. Needless to say, these aren't exactly things that would look good to an appraiser or a potential home buyer.

Sale Delay

What if you decide to sell your home after all? Remember that an inspection will be done on your home before you're allowed to sell it. If there's any hidden mold or structural damage from neglecting your plumbing repairs, you would have to solve that problem before you could put your home on the market. As a result, you could face a major delay in being able to sell your home.

As you can see, not prioritizing plumbing repairs can create a larger problem down the road. Something that you might think is simple, such as a leaky faucet, may slowly add to billions of gallons of water being wasted. You may also have a leak somewhere deep down in your walls or piping system causing even more structural damage that you'll discover once it's too late. Whether you need local water heater repair, drain cleaning, or new installations, don't hesitate to contact our team for assistance. Call or visit Holt Plumbing Company LLC for any of your plumbing needs.