The water pipes that provide water for your faucets and appliances can provide 14 gallons of water per minute, depending on your water pressure. Just imagine the damage that could follow a busted pipe inside of your wall. Fortunately, this is a fairly rare occurrence, but you should not ignore leaks since it could easily be a sign of a larger problem.
In colder climates, it is possible that a pipe freezes and breaks, especially if it’s uninsulated. Sometimes, pinhole leaks could develop in copper pipes, as well.
If you were to have a leak, your first step needs to be to find the water shut-off valve and close it. There should be one located near each faucet, but sometimes it might be necessary to turn off the water to the whole house.
Depending on the water leaking, there could be a risk of contamination, especially with the water coming from your toilet. You should either make sure you have proper protection for the cleanup, or pay for the assistance of a professional service.
