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Encountered a few leaks or a clogged drain? How do you know if the problem warrants calling a professional or can you fix them on your own?
You don’t have to wait for your plumbing to explode before you hire experts. Keep an eye out for basic issues, signs that there’s a bigger problem brewing in your plumbing system.
Not sure what to look out for? Check out our guide below for some of the most common plumbing problems you should attend to quickly:
In This Post:
1. Clogged Toilets
Does your toilet overflow and make funny noises whenever you try to flush it? It’s a common plumbing emergency and it often happens due to blockage in the pipes and structural damage.
For minor clogs, you can use a plunger to free up the pipes. Don’t use a coat hanger or other objects to fish out whatever’s clogging your toilet. For serious cases, call the professionals!
2. Clogged Drains
Ever tried washing the dishes or wash your hands only for the water to build up instead of flowing down the drain? This happens often in kitchen sinks and shower drains. More often than not, this happens due to hair or sediment buildup in the pipeline.
3. Leaking Faucets
Can you hear a constant drip? You might need to check your faucets. You might end up wasting gallons of water due to faucets leaking during the night.
Leaking faucets occur due to issues with the O-rings, a corroded valve seat, or a worn-out washer. An improperly installed faucet head or a broken stopper also lead to leaks.
Even with only one faucet leaking one drop of water per hour, you’re still losing a liter of water per day. That can lead to a loss of 104 gallons per year! That’s a lot of money wasted so don’t hesitate to call plumbers to fix this quickly.
4. Leaking Water Heater
It’s a nightmare whenever your water heater doesn’t work. Without hot water, simple tasks like doing the laundry or washing the dishes become more complicated than they should.
Hot water helps remove stains from clothes and it kills bacteria from your dishes. There’s also no denying that it’s sometimes more comfortable to take a hot shower instead of a cold bath!
Problems with a leaky water heater don’t stop there.
The water leaking from the heater can also cause rust in the main water lines. This rust can damage your water heater wall. Rust in your water can also lead to severe health concerns.
5. Leaking Washing Machine Lines
Your washing machine is one of the sturdiest appliances in your home. However, it can still break down due to sediment and rust buildup. This happens if there’s an unnoticed, unattended leak in your washing machine.
Can’t seem to find a problem with the appliance itself? Try checking the water lines, particularly the lines delivering water to your washing machine and the line draining the water out.
If there are issues with the water line leading into your machine, stop washing your clothes immediately. There’s a possibility the rust and dirt from the leaking water line could mix with your clothes, ruining them even further.
6. Damaged Water Lines
Did you know your trees in the yard can cause severe damage to your water lines? Roots can break into lines weakened by rust and external pressure. Moss and other sediments could also break into your main water lines, infecting your tap water.
How do you know your water lines have an issue? Shut your water off for an hour or two. This allows any potential sediment to buildup in the stagnant water within your pipes.
Once ready, turn your water back on. If it comes out brown and filled with dirt, you need to call professional plumbers.
7. Broken Gutters
You can’t ignore broken gutters, especially the ones on your roof. Cracks divert water to weaker spots on your roof. This builds up water on one spot and this eventually leads to roof leaks.
The water could also seep into your walls. This not only weakens the walls but could also lead to moss growth. Some forms of fungi and mold are health hazards, especially to kids and the elderly.
Don’t forget to consider the pipes bringing water from your roof gutters down to the ground. If those get damaged, water could splash everywhere and damage your walls or windows. You might get other people wet too.
8. Low Water Pressure
Try turning your faucet on all the way left. Water should gush out quickly and with a lot of pressure. If you’re only getting a weak drip, there’s an issue with your water lines.
The most likely cause for low water pressure is some form of blockage. There might be sediments blocking the water from flowing. If this is the case, there might be bigger issues like cracked lines or rust in your water pipes.
Low water pressure can also make it difficult to get any chore done! Imagine how long it would take to fill your washing machine or to wash a day’s worth of dishes if you only get drips of water at a time.
Fixing Plumbing Problems
Ran into any of these common plumbing problems? Don’t rely on DIY methods to address these issues. Call a professional to handle a plumbing emergency.
You could handle these problems on your own but you risk a few hazards:
- You could injure yourself
- You might buy the wrong parts
- You risk damaging your plumbing even further
Professionals – like the team from QLD Coastal Plumbing – have the training, certification, and tools to get the job done right. They also have insurance, access to parts suppliers, and warranties for those plumbing parts.
Address Common Plumbing Problems Now!
If you encountered any of these common plumbing problems, don’t hesitate to call professional plumbers. They have the right training and tools to remedy these issues safely and efficiently. We also recommend you to read the articles of MyHomeNeedz.com as well. They write about many plumbing issues.
But problems with your plumbing and home maintenance don’t end here. If you’re looking for additional tips to keep your home in tip-top shape, check out our other guides here, today!
