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If you’re like many of us, you’re probably procrastinating fixing some of the most common plumbing problems around your home. The best of us do. This is probably wasting water, costing you money, and could lead to much bigger problems if they aren’t addressed. Often people don’t want to spend the money to fix them, so here are some of the common plumbing problems and how to know when to call a professional.
1. Dripping taps or faucets
Everyone either has or has had at least one leaky faucet in their home, and while it may not seem like that big of a deal, it’s wasting a lot more water than you think. Even if your faucet is leaking 10 times a minute, you will be wasting approximately three liters a day, or 1000 liters a year – and that’s only if there’s one leaky faucet. Aside from the wastage, they can be incredibly frustrating, and even if you’re used to the constant dripping, that horror film tapping is probably driving your guests crazy! Save everyone the annoyance. It’s a quick and easy fix for your professional plumber, and definitely worth looking into.
2. Rain gutters
Your gutters should be cleaned every six months, usually at the start of autumn and the end of spring. It’s even more important to do this if you’re living in an area that has a lot of trees with falling leaves, or especially dusty and sandy areas. Not cleaning your gutters can lead to serious drainage problems as well as clogged pipes. Cleaning your gutters isn’t too complicated and can be done yourself with a gutter scoop and a garden hose from your local garden store. It really doesn’t take that long, and it can be quite fun to see your house from a new angle. Just make sure you’re extra careful with ladder safety as that can be a major cause of accidents around the home. You can also consider purchasing a gutter cover from your hardware store which will make the job easier in the future. They often cost more than the gutters themselves, but if your gutters are especially prone to filling up with gunk, they could save you a lot of time and effort with your cleaning, as well as give your pipes a well-deserved break
3. Continuously running toilet
If your toilet is continuously running, you’ll possibly be flushing away hundreds of liters of water a day. Obviously, this amount of wastage is not something to be ignored, yet so many people just pretend that nothing’s wrong. Running toilet problems can often be fixed by replacing or resetting your toilet flusher. If this doesn’t work, you will probably need to get a new toilet fill valve which is best done by a professional. It’s not a particularly hard or costly fix, so best get it sorted before all of your water goes to waste.
The main sewer line of any residential or commercial building plays a vital role in your plumbing system-it takes sewage away from your building. Blockages in main sewer lines are typically caused by an accumulation of waste that impedes free flow within the system. If your sewer line isn’t doing this job properly, or it’s sending sewage back into your building, contact a professional plumber, for sewer line repair services.
4. Water stains and leaks
If you have water stains or leaks on your roof or your walls, get them looked at immediately. Even if the visible leak is small, it could be indicative of larger issues, more leakage you can’t see, or damaged pipes that need replacing. This is one of the most common plumbing problems in old homes and can cause rot, mold, and dampness which can be terrible for your home and health, particularly if you’re asthmatic or have children. This can wreak havoc with your property value, and your quality of life. No one wants to come back to a damp, miserable home. As much as you probably want to save money and fix the problem yourself, in this case, it’s best to call a professional. Often DIYers will fix small leaks but not replace faulty or old pipes that need to be changed, which can lead to more problems later on.
5. Low water pressure
If only one faucet is producing low water pressure, it’s likely that the problem can be fixed by replacing your tap. However, if multiple faucets/taps are producing low water pressure, you may need a new pressure regulator, or you could have a major leak somewhere in your pipes. If replacing the faucets doesn’t work, you’ll probably need to get someone in to inspect your plumbing. It’s recommended to do this as soon as possible to ensure you don’t cause any further damage to your house. Here is more about low water pressure in the shower in detail.
6. Slow or clogged drains
Trenchless pipe lining is just a more specific name for pipelining. People call it trenchless because you don’t need to dig into the ground to create trenches or perform any major construction on your property. Building trenches for water pipes was a method developed by the ancient Romans, but plumbing tactics have evolved to be more cost-effective and less intrusive on your property.
Are you having plumbing problems in the kitchen sink or shower with water backing up? This is an easy fix that’s not worth procrastinating. It’s only going to get worse if you don’t deal with it now. Most slow or clogged drains can be dealt with by pouring drain cleaner (or even baking soda and vinegar) down the drain, putting some work in with a plunger, and using a coat hanger to pull the clog out. If this solution doesn’t work, something more malicious could be going on with your pipes. They will potentially be damaged and will likely need a professional inspection. This will ensure nothing nasty is leaking out of them and damaging the structural integrity of your home.
7. Water heaters not heating fast enough
This problem is often caused by a faulty heating system. If your system is more than ten years old, it may need fixing or maintenance. Alternatively, this issue can be caused by a broken dip tube, which is a tube that brings cold water down to the bottom of your tank when you turn the taps onto warm. It could also be the result of a sediment buildup in your tank making it harder for the water to heat up.
You can have all sorts of plumbing problems in your home, but none of them should be procrastinated or ignored. The amount of damage, wastage, and how much it will cost to fix the resulting problems will almost always increase over time. So head to the hardware store or call your local plumber and get it sorted. You will regret ignoring your plumbing problems, but no one has ever regretted calling a plumber and getting the problems sorted.
