The 3 Most Common Causes Of A Burst Pipe In Your Home

A burst pipe is one of the biggest home maintenance nightmares that you can experience and if you aren’t careful, it will do some serious damage. That’s why it’s important that you carry out preventive maintenance to fix any issues before a pipe bursts. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t recognize the common causes of a burst pipe and they don’t intervene until it’s already too late. These are the most common reasons why a pipe in your home could burst.

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Old Pipework

The most obvious reason for a pipe bursting is that it’s simply too old. Over time, pipes wear down and crack and once they are weakened, they can easily burst. This is a particular problem in older homes where the pipework may not have been updated since the house was initially built. On average, pipework lasts around 20 years before you start experiencing problems with it so, if you live in an old property, you should try to find out when the pipes were last updated. If it has been a while, you should call a plumber and have some new pipes fitted. Although this will be expensive, it’s a lot cheaper than fixing extensive water damage after a pipe bursts. New pipes will also leak less water, so your water bills will be cheaper as well.

Blocked Drains

Most people consider a blocked drain to be a minor annoyance and nothing more, but they can actually cause serious problems. If you have blocked drains, this causes water to back up in your pipes and the pressure builds. Eventually, when the pressure gets too high, the pipe will burst. However, blockages usually start out quite small and get bigger over time, so you have plenty of time to act and prevent a burst pipe. As soon as you notice that water is draining slower than it normally does, get it checked out by a professional. It will be a lot easier and cheaper to remove a small blockage now rather than waiting for a pipe to burst and then fixing it.

Outside Pressure

Pressure building inside pipes can cause them to burst but they may also burst due to outside pressure. There are a lot of things that can put excess pressure on pipes that are laid underground, like tree roots, for example. If you have a tree in your garden, it’s worth checking where the pipes run and whether they are close to the base of the tree. If they are, you need to keep an eye on your pipes and water pressure and look for any signs of leaks. Construction equipment can also put pressure on pipes and burst them, so if you are planning any big home renovations that involve digging in the garden or close to the house, make sure that you know where all of the pipes are located.

These are the 3 most common reasons why pipes in your home might burst. It’s important that you keep on top of these problems and call in a plumber right away if you think that something is wrong.