PALM SPRINGS, CA--(Marketwire - Jul 27, 2011) - It's summertime! The sun is shining, the weather is warm. Who's thinking about mold? American Leak Detection says that if homeowners are not thinking about mold, they should be. Summer's heat and humidity -- especially when combined with an undetected or untreated leak -- can set the stage for mold to flourish.
"The best way to deal with indoor mold is to prevent it in the first place," said American Leak Detection President Bill Palmer. "That means you need to recognize the signs that you may have a leak, and locate and repair the leak promptly. Undetected leaks can allow mold to take hold, and that can create a health risk to you and your family and expensive damage to your home."
Even without a leak, mold can flourish when summer's downpours and steamy weather cause heat and humidity to raise moisture levels in basements, crawl spaces, closets and other enclosed, dark places. Palmer advises that if homeowners notice any of the following seven symptoms of a plumbing leak, they should take action promptly:
1. The continuous sound of water (like a toilet running) when nothing is turned on.
2. The water meter reading changes when no water is being used. (Mark the indicator on the meter; don't use any water for an hour; then check the meter. If the indicator moved, there may be a leak. Check out our Complete Meter Test at http://www.americanleakdetection.com/tips-meter-test.php).
3. The water bill escalates over a period of weeks or months. (Compare bills month to month.)
4. The walls or floors have wet, spongy, moist or discolored areas when nothing has been spilled.
5. Foul odors coming from floors or walls near drains or sewers.
6. Cracks in the building foundation, uneven vegetation growth, or the earth shifts for no apparent reason.
7. Warm spots on the floor, particularly on concrete slab floors.
If any of these signs are present, and the homeowner is unable to quickly identify and repair the leak, it's time to call in a specialist, like the leak detection experts at American Leak Detection. Their trained technicians specialize in minimally invasive leak detection to identify not only the source of the leak, but also its origin, which is critical in limiting property damage during repairs.
"We not only save homeowners time, money and stress by locating and, in some cases, repairing plumbing leaks with minimal damage to their home and property," said Palmer. "We also help prevent costly mold damage that an undetected leak can cause and help families limit the health threat posed by indoor mold."
For more information about American Leak Detection, The Original Leak Specialists, please visit http://www.americanleakdetection.com.
About American Leak Detection
Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Palm Springs, California, ALD is the world leader in the accurate, non-destructive detection of hidden water, sewer and other types of leaks. For the past nine years, ALD has been ranked #1 in Entrepreneur® magazine's "Maintenance Products and Services" franchise sector. In February 2008, The Wall Street Journal named ALD to its list of the top 25 high-performing franchises. ALD is dedicated to water conservation, resource protection and providing eco-friendly services.