Ignoring small plumbing leaks costs you way more than fixing them early. A dripping faucet wastes gallons of water daily, mold grows behind walls, and structural damage eats away at your home’s value. What starts as a $50 repair becomes thousands in damage.
That slow drip under your sink seems harmless. It’s just a few drops, right? Wrong. Those drops add up to serious problems and even more serious bills.
Your Water Bill Keeps Climbing
A leaky faucet drips about 10 times per minute. That’s 14,400 drops daily. Those drops equal three gallons of wasted water every day.
Three gallons might not sound like much. But multiply that by 365 days. You’re flushing 1,095 gallons down the drain yearly. At average Canadian water rates, that’s $50 to $100 in wasted money.
Toilet leaks are worse. A running toilet can waste 200 gallons daily. That’s $700 yearly just from one broken flapper valve.
Mold Takes Over
Water and darkness create the perfect mold factory. Leaks behind walls or under sinks stay hidden. The moisture sits there, and mold starts growing within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold spreads fast. It travels through drywall, insulation, and wood. By the time you smell that musty odor, mold has already colonized large areas.
Cleaning mold costs $500 to $6,000 depending on severity. Health effects add more expenses. Mold triggers allergies, asthma attacks, and respiratory problems. Doctor visits and medications drain your wallet further.
Some mold types are toxic. Professional removal becomes mandatory. Insurance might not cover it if they prove you ignored the leak.
Wood Rot Destroys Your Home
Water loves wood. It soaks in and starts breaking down the fibers. Wooden floors warp and buckle. Support beams weaken. Cabinet bases crumble.
Replacing rotted wood isn’t cheap. A single floor joist costs $200 to $500 to replace. Kitchen cabinet replacement runs $3,000 to $8,000. Subfloor damage? Add another $2,000 to $4,000.
The longer water sits, the more wood it ruins. What started near the leak spreads to surrounding areas. Your $50 leak becomes a $10,000 renovation.
Foundation Problems Appear
Leaking pipes under your house create big trouble. Water pools around your foundation. Soil expands and contracts with the moisture. Cracks form in concrete.
Foundation cracks let water into basements. They make walls unstable. Fixing foundation damage costs $2,000 to $15,000 on average. Severe cases hit $50,000 or more.
Your home sits on its foundation. When that’s compromised, everything above suffers. Doors won’t close right. Floors slope. Windows crack.
Pest Invasions Start
Bugs and rodents need water to survive. A leaky pipe is their personal watering hole. Termites especially love moisture-damaged wood. They move in and multiply fast.
Termite treatment costs $500 to $3,000. If they’ve done structural damage, repairs add thousands more. Other pests like cockroaches and silverfish also flock to leaks.
Mice and rats squeeze through tiny gaps near pipes. They nest in wet insulation and chew through wires. Now you’re dealing with electrical problems too.
Your Home Value Drops
Buyers hire inspectors before purchasing homes. Those inspectors find water damage easily. They check for soft spots, stains, and moisture levels.
Water damage is a huge red flag. It tells buyers the home wasn’t maintained. They’ll either walk away or demand massive price reductions. You could lose $10,000 to $50,000 in selling price.
Even if you fix everything before selling, disclosure laws require honesty. You must tell buyers about past water damage. That still affects their offer.
Higher Energy Bills
Leaking hot water pipes waste heated water. Your water heater works overtime replacing it. That uses more gas or electricity.
A small hot water leak can add $10 to $30 monthly to energy costs. That’s $120 to $360 yearly. Over five years, you’ve wasted $1,800 in extra energy.
The Real Cost
A plumber charges $150 to $300 to fix a simple leak. That’s a one-time expense. Ignoring it creates a domino effect of damage.
Water damage restoration averages $2,700. Mold removal adds $2,000. Structural repairs can hit $15,000. You’re looking at $20,000+ in total costs.
Fix leaks immediately when you spot them. Check under sinks monthly. Listen for running toilets. Watch your water bill for unusual spikes.
That annoying drip isn’t just a minor nuisance. It’s slowly destroying your home and draining your bank account. Call a plumber today.