The truth is, a small leak can cause some major damage in the long run if it’s not repaired. How could a little leak end up causing big problems in your home? Keep reading to find out.

Continuously Wasted Water

Sure, a few drips a minute seem insignificant, but little things can add up over the long run. A faucet that drips just ten times per minute will waste 462 gallons of water every year. That’s the equivalent of filling up a bathtub, then letting the water run down the drain, unused, nine times! You certainly wouldn’t do that, would you? So why would you ignore a leaking faucet that wastes just as much water?

While the cost of water wasted by a small leak might seem insignificant, the longer you ignore the problem, the more money you’ll be throwing away on what would likely be a simple fix.

Water Damage

If your leak is falling straight into a sink or other fixture designed to hold water, then you might not have this problem. However, if your leak is hidden in a wall or somewhere else in your home, every drip can cause accumulated water damage. Drywall, insulation, flooring, and cabinets can all become seriously damaged if exposed to moisture for too long. These building materials can deteriorate or warp so that if and when you do decide to fix the leak, you’ll have to conduct significant repairs to get your home back to its proper state. This can be extremely expensive to repair—much more expensive than just fixing the leak as soon as you know it exists.

Mold Growth

Part of the damage caused by moisture is often associated with the growth of mold. Having mold in your home can impact the respiratory health of everyone that lives there, especially those who have existing respiratory conditions like asthma or mold allergies. But in addition to the health problems it can cause, mold also spreads and damages the building materials of your home.

While mold might seem like it simply grows on the surface of materials, it’s actually feeding on those materials to help it grow. That means that the materials are slowly deteriorating, and the longer you ignore the problem, the more significant the damage will be. Additionally, mold can spread rapidly, so the longer a mold colony is allowed to grow, the more widespread it will be and the harder it will be to remove all of the growth.

If you think you have a leak in your home—even a small one—look for leak detection near me right away to get it fixed and avoid these major costs.