When pipes work properly, homeowners don't have to give them much care or notice. However, that can change dramatically when something starts to go wrong. If you have recently used a water-based appliance like a sink, shower, or toilet and have noticed that the wall seems to be damp, moist, or has water visibly beading up or seeping out of it, you have a considerable issue on your hands. Here's what you should know and do.

What's Likely Gone Wrong

There are, of course, exposed pipes that you can see in your home, like behind your toilet or under your sink. However, there's much more of a length of pipe that you can't see, because it's hidden in the walls of your home.

Pipes snake throughout your house in order to bring water in and to carry wastewater out. When something goes wrong with one of these pipes, like it separates from the next piece of pipe or develops a crack, water can leak out. Unfortunately, this problem can sometimes go on for a long time before it becomes noticeable, as the leaking water usually has to saturate the inside of your walls before it starts to have a noticeable effect on the outside. For this reason, it's imperative that you act quickly.

Shut Off the Water

First things first: you need to shut off the water to your home. In most cases, turning off a local valve is enough, but in this case, you need to shut off the water main itself. Closing the valve will only prevent the appliance the valve is attached to from drawing water, but it won't stop water from entering the pipe. Shutting off the water main, on the other hand, prevents water from coming through the water main and entering the pipes in your home. It won't stop the leak immediately, as whatever water is in the pipe will need to empty out first before the leak will end, so don't be surprised if the seeping continues for a while after this step.

Call a Plumber

Next, you should contact a plumber to come out immediately. Time is of the essence here. Not only is the water actively creating a risk of developing mold or wood rot in your walls, but it can also damage electrical wiring and cause a huge headache for you. For this reason, you should call an emergency plumber who is available to come out to your home right away.

Once your plumber has arrived, they'll examine the issue to determine where the leak is coming from and to decide how to act next. In cases like these, opening up the wall is typically necessary. While it may mean needing a repair job afterward, this is the only way to access the pipe that's causing problems for you.

Once your plumber has replaced the stretch of pipe that's leaking or disconnected, you shouldn't have any more issues. They'll turn the water back on for you and run it for a while to ensure that there aren't any active leaks.

For more information, contact an emergency plumbing service.