Plumbing emergencies are one of the most important jobs we handle, because we know how fast a plumbing problem can turn into major water damage or a completely unlivable situation in a home. When you need an emergency plumber in Orlando, FL or the surrounding areas, you only have to pick up the phone and reach out to us, and we’ll soon be there.
We want to help you rein in those feelings of panic when you have a big plumbing leak. Here’s what you can do when you discover you’ve got leaking pipes or leaking fixtures.
Florida is well known as the thunderstorm capitol of the United States. Here in the lightning belt, we get particularly severe thunderstorms and lightning. Apart from the dangers of being caught out in one of these storms, did you know that lightening can cause expensive damage to your pipes? Studies conducted by the Orlando Utilities Commission have shown that lighting can cause pinhole leaks in metal piping. In a study done in 1991 the Orlando Utilities Commission found extremely high levels of copper in a home’s water supply and sand crystallization surrounding pinholes in copper pipes after lightning strikes-further proving the damage done to plumbing during these storms. When lightning strikes it follows the path of least resistance, seeking the most conductive substance it can find. When an electrical charge traveling through the ground comes in contact with a home’s copper piping or ground rod it travels along this line until it hits another non-conductive material. At this point the charge needs an outlet, “a minilightning strike occurs within the pipe as the charge jumps from the copper to the water – leaving a hole behind. The stronger the bolt, the bigger the hole”. Some home owners see immediate damage to their pipes, to which they are often alerted of by the hissing sound of water under pressure leaking through these pinholes. Other times it can take months to discover the damage.