Top 10+ Silent Signs Your House has a Major Plumbing Problem

Discolored Pipes

The next time you're in your basement or poking around under the kitchen sink, take a long look at your pipes to see if there are any signs of discoloration, especially around a union. If so, it's a strong sign there's moisture present. This may be caused by dripping from a sink or drain line, or something more serious, such as a slow leak in the supply line.

If it's the latter, then you should definitely put this at the top of your to-do list. Plumbing supply lines are pressurized, which means that a slow leak has the potential to turn into a big mess fast!

No Water in Winter

If your water pressure suddenly drops or completely ceases in the middle of winter, there's a chance that your pipes have frozen. This is a major issue and needs to be dealt with immediately.

An especially common problem in homes where the supply lines run through an attic, crawlspace, or other unheated space, frozen pipes hold the biggest danger once they thaw. That ice is acting as a plug, holding back the water from rushing out any splits that may have occurred. If you think you might be dealing with this issue, step through the troubleshooting carefully and prepare to deal with a leak. If you get lucky enough to have the frozen pipes thaw without issue (copper pipes can expand slightly without bursting), don't count on being that lucky the next time. Take steps immediately to fix the situation.

Spiking Water Bills

A sudden jump in your water bill is more than just a pain in the wallet. It's also a sign that something has changed in your plumbing system. If you haven't done anything to justify an increase in water usage (such as filling up a pool or watering your lawn more than usual), you should begin troubleshooting to find out if you have a leak. The most common source of the water bill jump is a running toilet. Many homeowners don't appreciate how much water a toilet uses; the toilet valve is essentially a garden hose going at full blast, and it's not unusual for a single running toilet to waste hundreds of dollars of water.

Bubbling Ceiling or Wall Paint

If the paint on a wall or ceiling suddenly begin to bubble or peel off, it's most often a sign of moisture. The most common cause of this headache is a leak in either the roof or plumbing system. Should you see paint bubbling or blistering or brown spots appearing on a ceiling or wall, it's time to begin the investigative process to find out what's wrong.

Green Patch in the Yard

One common sign of a sewer issue is one section of your yard that's much greener than the areas around it. This is especially true if the patch falls between your house and the street, which is the most common path for a city sewer line. Leaking sewer drains can also create sunken areas in the yard as the additional fluids cause the dirt around them to compact. Whether caused by degrading materials or invasive tree roots, this silent damage to the exterior portion of your plumbing system will need to be nipped in the bud.

Shocking Water Color

If the water coming out of your faucets isn't clear, it's an indication there's something going on. Excessively cloudy water is often caused by air in the pipes, while yellow or brown water indicates rust. (Note that on occasion, water can come into your home tainted by these materials; in older systems, for example, there can be an onrush of rust in nearby homes when the fire department flushes the hydrants.) Less frequently seen is a green tint caused by extensive corrosion in copper pipes. This is a sign that it's time to inspect the system ASAP, as pipes in that state of degradation usually begin to leak outside the system relatively quickly!