Common Issues You Should Leave to a Professional Plumber
Common Issues You Should Leave to a Professional Plumber
More often than not, you can fix a clogged toilet on your own without needing to call a professional plumber. All you need is a plunger. However, there will be times when plumbing issues pop up and you won't know where to start. That's perfectly normal! In those cases, it would behoove you to seek the help of local plumbing technicians who will supply you with the services needed to get your home back in working order. Here are some common plumbing issues that might need a professional to repair:
- Clogged Drains: Homeowners often experience slow-draining sinks in their kitchens and bathrooms due to clogged pipes full of food particles, hair, and other gunk. While there are various products available for purchase to clean drains, some can be damaging if not used correctly, potentially causing backed-up drains. A plumber can clear your drains with reliable drain cleaning services. By using tools such as plumbing snakes, they'll be able to locate and get rid of any clogs in your plumbing system.
- Leaky pipes: Although they are installed correctly when a home is first built, plumbing pipes don't last forever. With time, they begin to wear down and might even leak in some situations. There are several noticeable signs of faulty pipes. For instance, if you see a wet spot on your ceiling, it most likely means that there's a leakage in the plumbing pipe right above it. In addition to the more obvious signs, there are other less noticeable ones you should constantly be on the lookout for. These include
- 1. Higher than normal water bills
- 2. The growth of mold or mildew in bathrooms
- 3. A water meter that is running almost constantly
- 4. Musty smells emanating from bathrooms and basements
- 5. Cracks appearing in a home’s foundation
If you believe you may have leaky pipes somewhere in your house, it would be beneficial to hire a plumber to come out and inspect your property as soon as possible; they will be able to both locate any leaks and provide solutions for fixing them.
- Leaky faucets: Leaky faucets are a huge problem, not just for you but for the environment as well. A single drip per second can add up to over 3000 gallons of water wasted yearly!
- Pipe replacement: No matter how diligently you take care of your home’s plumbing, the pipes won't last forever. On average, galvanized steel supply lines will only last 20 to 50 years, copper supply lines for 50 years, and brass for 40 to 70 years. As for cast iron drain lines, you can expect them to stick around for 75 to 80 years. Once your plumbing pipes start to wear down, you’ll need to replace them with new ones. Rather than trying to do it on your own and making a huge mess, call on a professional plumber who knows how to replace pipes quickly.
- Pipe relocation: Although you may want to, it isn't always easy to take a sink, toilet, or bathtub and relocate it elsewhere in the room, especially when changing the location of a plumbing fixture. All accompanying plumbing pipes need to be relocated, which can include removing flooring and subfloors so that you can reroute plumbing pipes throughout the space. Unless you're a professional plumber, it's best to leave plumbing services to the professionals. Before beginning any kitchen or bathroom renovations, have a conversation with your professional plumber.
- Water heater installation: The average lifespan of a water heater is only 8 to 12 years. Toward the end of its life, it will stop providing your home with hot water until it fails. If your water heater does go out, you'll have difficulty doing tasks that require running water such as showering and doing dishes or laundry. Even simple things such as washing your hands become difficult without access to running hot water. Depending on how long you and your family can go without hot water, you may want to call a plumber to install a new one as soon as possible. There are many types of heaters with different features available today. A plumbing professional will be able to show you the options and help you make the best decision for your home before installing it so that it lasts for years.
These are only some of the most common issues, are any of them familiar to you? Don't try to solve them by yourself when professional plumbing services are just a phone call away. We have experienced plumbers who can fix your clogged drain, leaky faucet, or burst pipes so that everything is running smoothly again. There's no need to continue struggling--call us today to set up an appointment for home plumbing repairs.