A Comprehensive Guide to Common Plumbing Problems: Solutions
A Comprehensive Guide to Common Plumbing Problems: Solutions
Blog Article
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.
Exactly How to Fix Common Household Plumbing Issues
Doing the repair work yourselves on these straightforward plumbing issues can save you heaps of cash. As a property owner, you will certainly run into numerous different plumbing problems that sometimes make a problem.
Low Tide Pressure
Is somebody from your home whining that there's low water stress from the sink? Initially, inspect if this problem affects both the cold and hot water lines. The issue is the aerator within the sink which might have a great deal of sedimentation resulting in reduced water stress if yes. This is very simple to deal with as you just require to take it out as well as scrub away the mineral deposits.
Running Toilet
You may have experienced a running bathroom, which can be rather aggravating since the tank will not fill out. At the same time, leaving it alone equates to drainage as well as increasing up your water bills. For beginners, find out what's triggering it to run. You might require to change any one of the adhering to toilet devices:
Bathroom fill valve
Dripping flush valve
Commode flapper
Malfunctioning Garbage Disposal System
This annoying problem is additionally high on the checklist of common plumbing concerns. If you shed it, you will require an Allen wrench to deal with the problem. You have to go under the sink and look for the spot where you can place the secret.
Slow Draining Sink
This is one of the most usual problem of home owners, with the sink collecting a lot of hair, grease, particles, and also other substance with time. The only means to get a smooth flowing drain once again is to get rid of the debris. You can use a plumbing tool for angling out the debris. From there, you can make use of a store-bought drainpipe cleaner to cleanse the lines.
Slow Tub Drain
This is an additional pesky nuisance considering that the tub is just one of one of the most previously owned components in your restroom. Much like the sink drain, hair, soap scum, dead skin cells, as well as various other cruds swimming pool in the drain frequently. You need to pop open the drainpipe cover as well as make use of a tub claw to clear the particles. Do this ASAP prior to the drain blocks completely. After making use of the claw, you can pour drainpipe cleaner to refresh the drain lines.
You may also end up conserving cash in the lengthy run because you can relax ensured that your basic plumbing issue will certainly not escalate. Simply make certain you call a respectable company with licenses as well as qualifications since you will certainly be inviting complete strangers in your residence.
Some plumbing concerns are a lot more usual and also can be conveniently taken care of. Doing the repair services yourselves on these straightforward plumbing problems can conserve you loads of cash. As a property owner, you will run into several various plumbing troubles that periodically make a problem. You can make use of a plumbing tool for fishing out the debris. You may also end up conserving money in the lengthy run since you can relax guaranteed that your basic plumbing issue will certainly not rise.
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