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.
5 Typical Household Plumbing Issues and How You Can Fix Them
As a house owner, you will certainly experience various plumbing problems that occasionally make a nuisance. Some plumbing problems are more usual as well as can be conveniently repaired. Doing the repair services yourselves on these easy plumbing issues can conserve you lots of money. Take a look at 5 of the most typical ones listed below:
Slow Draining Sink
This is the most typical problem of homeowners, with the sink gathering a lot of hair, grease, particles, and various other crud with time. The only means to get a smooth flowing drain once more is to get rid of the particles. You can make use of a plumbing device for angling out the particles. From there, you can use a store-bought drainpipe cleaner to cleanse the lines.
Sluggish Tub Drain
This is an additional pesky nuisance given that the bathtub is just one of the most previously owned fixtures in your washroom. Just like the sink drain, hair, soap residue, dead skin cells, and various other substances pool in the drainpipe frequently. You have to pop open the drain cover and make use of a bathtub claw to clear the particles. Do this ASAP prior to the drain blocks totally. After making use of the claw, you can pour drainpipe cleaner to refresh the drainpipe lines.
Low Tide Pressure
Is someone from your house complaining that there's reduced water pressure from the sink? If of course, then the trouble is the aerator within the sink which may have a lot of sedimentation resulting in reduced water pressure.
Running Toilet
You might have experienced a running bathroom, which can be fairly frustrating due to the fact that the storage tank won't fill up. At the same time, leaving it alone equates to wasting water as well as surging up your water expenses. For starters, identify what's creating it to run. You might need to replace any of the following bathroom systems:
Toilet fill shutoff
Leaking flush shutoff
Commode flapper
Malfunctioning Garbage Disposal System
This annoying trouble is likewise high on the checklist of typical plumbing issues. If you shed it, you will need an Allen wrench to fix the trouble. You have to go under the sink as well as look for the area where you can insert the trick.
If every one of these audio laborious for you, you can constantly call in a plumber to obtain expert help. Looking for specialist help means saving effort and time. You may even end up saving money in the long run because you can feel confident that your basic plumbing issue will not rise. Since you will certainly be inviting strangers in your residence, just make certain you call a respectable company with accreditations and licenses. Naturally, you have to ensure that you collaborate with someone you can trust.
As a property owner, you will experience several various plumbing troubles that occasionally make a problem. Some plumbing problems are much more usual and also can be conveniently taken care of. Doing the repairs yourselves on these simple plumbing problems can conserve you lots of cash. You can use a plumbing tool for fishing out the particles. You may even end up saving money in the long run due to the fact that you can relax guaranteed that your simple plumbing issue will certainly not rise.
I hope you enjoyed our article about DIY Plumbing Fixes. Thank you so much for taking time to browse our piece of content. Do you know anybody else who is interested by the topic? Please feel free to promote it. Thanks a bunch for your time. Visit again soon.
Book 24/7