Water leaks at home: causes and solutions

Water leaks at home can be a serious problem, involving economic, safety and health impacts.
Sometimes water leaks can cause considerable damages, especially if they are not detected and solved promptly. They not only increase costs in the utility bills, but they can also damage buildings and endanger the healthiness of the environment.

Moreover, at a time when water is an increasingly precious resource, it is important to avoid wasting it. Indeed, the UN’s 2030 Agenda reminds us that sustainable water management is a crucial goal for the future of our planet.

That is why we want to focus on:

1. causes of water loss at home;
2. appliances involved;
3. tools to prevent them.

The main causes of water leaks at home include:

1. design faults;
2. faulty pipes;
3. sudden temperature changes;
4. clogging.

Design faults often involve materials foreseen in the project that do not have the characteristics required for a good job. These imperfections, known as occult vices, only become apparent after the building has been constructed, even after years.

Water leaks from broken pipes and deteriorated sewer lines are among the most common causes of water damage in houses. In fact, the break of the pipes can be caused by excessive temperature changes, high water pressure, corrosion, tree roots and shifting foundations.

Even the simple clogging of a pipe can lead to its rupture, resulting in significant water leak. Hair, grease, food, toilet paper and more sometimes clog the drainage, increasing the pressure inside the pipe and forcing water to find another way out.
Therefore, to prevent water leaks, it is important to make regular checks of plumbing systems, replace old and damaged pipes, and intervene promptly in case of blockages. In addition, using water-saving devices such as ELTEK Group’s WATERBLOCK systems reduces water waste and prevents damage.

The appliances most frequently involved in water leaks at home are:

1. washing machines;
2. dishwashers;
3. refrigerators;
4. water dispensers.

Washing machines and dishwashers can manifest water leaks due to worn gaskets, broken pipes or clogged filters, but also leaks caused by problems with the door closing mechanism or drain pipes.

Refrigerators are subject to the risk of clogged exhaust pipes or damaged gaskets, which may cause a build-up of ice or water at the bottom of the refrigerator or freezer and consequent leaks.

Water coolers are also sometimes the cause of problems at home due to damaged seals or clogged pipes.
So, to prevent nasty surprises at home, it is important to carry out regular maintenance of appliances and repair them in good time.

Continuously monitoring the rooms and consumption in your home and promptly reporting any criticalities and anomalies in the water flow is the best way to prevent damage from water leaks. In this way the systems developed by ELTEK are suitable tools to guarantee an uncompromising level of safety.

These are the devices:

• WATERBLOCK;
• E-WATERBLOCK.

WATERBLOCK is designed to detect anomalies in the water mains and interrupt the flow of water before damage has some impact, such as damage to interiors or excessive consumption.

E-WATERBLOCK has the same functions of WATERBLOCK too, but in a smart electronic version. It can be controlled remotely, with the possibility of accessing the consumption history of the last 12 months.
Thanks to these devices, leaks at home can be quickly stopped before a malfunction causes real damage and unforeseen expenses.