The most common signs of a leak behind a wall are stains, bubbling or peeling paint, a musty smell, and drywall that feels soft or damp. You may also hear running water when nothing is turned on.
Changes You Can See
Water inside a wall often shows up as a yellow or brown stain. Paint may bubble, crack, or peel. Baseboards may swell or pull away from the wall. In tiled bathrooms, grout that stays dark or tiles that come loose can point to water behind them.
Changes You Can Feel, Smell, or Hear
Press gently on the wall near a stain. If it feels soft, cool, or damp, water may be soaking the drywall. A musty or earthy smell often means moisture has been there a while and mold may be starting.
Hissing, dripping, or the sound of flowing water when no one is using water can mean a supply pipe is leaking inside the wall.
Where Leaks Often Start
Walls behind showers, tubs, toilets, and kitchen sinks hold the most pipes. In older Bronx buildings, pipes may run through shared walls between apartments. A stain on your side could come from a neighbor’s plumbing.
What Not to Do
Avoid cutting into the wall to look. You could damage a pipe or hit wiring. If you see signs of a leak, shut off the water to that area if you can. If you rent, report it to your landlord or super right away.
A plumber can find the leak and open only what is needed to fix it. Learn more about the tools used to pinpoint leaks inside walls.
If you are seeing any of these signs, call JPR Plumbing at (833) 603-1840. After the leak behind the wall is repaired, checking the plumbing in the next room over can confirm the rest of the system is holding up. Keep the area dry until the wall is patched.