What are the most common plumbing problems?
Clogs
Clogs are arguably the most common type of plumbing problem that homeowners run into. Drains clog all the time. Most of these clogs are pretty minor—you clear out a sink clog by running the disposal, or a toilet clog using the plunger.
But, many other clogs are much tougher to clear out. Some can even be a sign of a sewer line blockage—something that should never be taken lightly!
How to deal with clogs
This is how most homeowners approach a clog. They’ll try to clear it themselves and—should that approach fail—they’ll bring in a plumber.
After all, plumbers have access to specialized clog-clearing tools that most homeowners don’t have under their kitchen or bathroom sink. This includes a variety of snake tools, specialized plungers, augers, and more.
Should you use drain cleaning products?
When confronted with a clog, most homeowners are tempted to run out to the grocery store and grab a drain cleaning product. After all, this is typically cheaper than bringing in a plumber.
However, these drain cleaning chemicals don’t always work as well as they should. In many cases, they only partially clear the clog, which means you’re going to be dealing with a clog again very soon.
Plus, these harsh chemicals can be tough on your pipes. Repeated use can actually weaken and damage them.
Frozen Pipes
Throughout much of the United States—including here in Chicagoland—frozen pipes are a major problem in the winter.
All it takes is a particularly cold night and your heater going down for several hours (which are often related) for your home’s pipes to freeze. If your home has an electric furnace, a power outage could also lead to this problem.
What happens when pipes freeze?
For obvious reasons, pipes in exterior walls are at the greatest immediate risk. As the pipes freeze, the water inside of them expands.
If you’ve ever left a can of soda pop in the freezer overnight, you know what comes next: the expansion of water into ice puts immense pressure on the pipe.
Luckily, your home’s copper or PVC pipes are hardier than an aluminum can, but there’s only so much of this sustained pressure they can take. Your pipes are at risk of bursting at any time.
How should you thaw out frozen pipes?
Thawing these pipes out is trickier than you might think. Most homeowners instinctively reach for the hair dryer, but that can actually bring on a pipe burst, since rapidly heating the pipe’s surface may weaken it.
You’ll really want to bring in a plumber. We have specialized thawing tools designed to safely raise the temperature of the water inside of the pipe, defrosting it without damaging the pipe itself.
Leaks
Water leaks are a big deal—and a common problem. Whether they’re caused by frozen—and then burst—pipes, or just by aging pipes, water leaks can cause thousands of dollars in water damage to your home, relatively quickly.
For this reason, every leak—no matter how small it starts—needs to be treated like a major threat to your home.
Do you need leak detection?
Not all leaks start in convenient, easy-to-access places, either. Some leaks start behind walls, in ceilings, or underneath floors. Finding and accessing the leak actually might be the toughest part of the job.
This is where a professional plumber can really save you a lot of time, money, and headache. Using professional leak detection equipment—such as acoustic leak detectors—the plumber will pinpoint the location of the leak.
From there, they can make precision cuts into your drywall or slab to access and repair it.
Leaks and water damage
If you’ve got a leak, you’ve probably also got water damage and, potentially, mold growth. Once your plumber has fixed the leak, you’ll want to speak to a restoration and mold remediation specialist to make sure there’s no long-term, lingering damage to your home.
How to Fix Common Household Plumbing Issues
Doing the repair work yourselves on these basic plumbing problems can conserve you tons of cash. As a homeowner, you will certainly come across many different plumbing problems that periodically make a hassle.
Low Water Pressure
Is somebody from your household whining that there's reduced water stress from the sink? If indeed, then the issue is the aerator within the sink which might have a great deal of sedimentation resulting in low water pressure.
Running Toilet
You may have experienced a running commode, which can be rather aggravating due to the fact that the storage tank will not load up. At the same time, leaving it alone equates to squandering water as well as surging up your water costs.
Bathroom fill shutoff
Leaking flush shutoff
Bathroom flapper
Malfunctioning Garbage Disposal System
This irritating issue is additionally high up on the checklist of typical plumbing issues. Your device will feature a cool key to unjam your machine. If you lose it, you will require an Allen wrench to fix the issue. You have to go under the sink and also search for the place where you can put the trick. Utilize your wrench to transform the equipment to release the motor as soon as you detect it. Do not fail to remember to switch off the system as well as reduced the circuit breaker when dealing with your garbage disposal system to prevent horrible accidents.
Slow Draining Sink
You can utilize a plumbing tool for fishing out the debris. From there, you can use a store-bought drain cleaner to clean the lines.
Slow Tub Drain
This is another pesky annoyance since the bathtub is one of the most used fixtures in your washroom. Just like the sink drainpipe, hair, soap residue, dead skin cells, and other gunk pool in the drain typically. You have to pop open the drain cover and utilize a bathtub claw to remove the debris. Do this ASAP prior to the drain congests completely. After making use of the claw, you can pour drain cleaner to freshen the drain lines.
If every one of these audio tiresome for you, you can always call in a plumber to get professional aid. Looking for professional assistance indicates saving time and effort. You may even end up saving money in the long run because you can rest assured that your basic plumbing issue will certainly not rise. Due to the fact that you will certainly be inviting unfamiliar people in your home, simply make certain you call a credible firm with licenses and also accreditations. Certainly, you need to see to it that you collaborate with somebody you can trust.
Some plumbing concerns are a lot more usual as well as can be easily dealt with. Doing the repairs yourselves on these straightforward plumbing issues can save you tons of cash. As a property owner, you will certainly experience many various plumbing issues that sometimes make a problem. You can utilize a plumbing tool for fishing out the debris. You may also end up saving cash in the long run since you can relax assured that your basic plumbing problem will certainly not escalate.
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