Common Plumbing Concerns: Insights into Frequent Issues
Common Plumbing Concerns: Insights into Frequent Issues
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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
Some plumbing concerns are much more usual and also can be quickly repaired. Doing the repairs yourselves on these easy plumbing troubles can conserve you lots of money. As a home owner, you will certainly experience various plumbing troubles that periodically make a hassle. Take a look at 5 of the most usual ones below:
Low Water Pressure
Is somebody from your home whining that there's low water stress from the sink? If of course, then the problem 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 toilet, which can be quite irritating since the storage tank will not fill out. At the same time, leaving it alone relates to wasting water as well as surging up your water expenses. For starters, figure out what's creating it to run. You might require to change any one of the adhering to commode devices:
Bathroom fill shutoff
Leaking flush valve
Toilet flapper
Malfunctioning Garbage Disposal System
This frustrating issue is likewise high on the checklist of typical plumbing problems. If you shed it, you will certainly need an Allen wrench to fix the problem. You have to go under the sink and also look for the area where you can insert the secret.
Slow Draining Sink
You can utilize a plumbing device for fishing out the particles. From there, you can use a store-bought drain cleaner to clean the lines.
Slow-moving Tub Drain
This is another pesky annoyance given that the bathtub is one of the most pre-owned fixtures in your bathroom. Just like the sink drainpipe, hair, soap scum, dead skin cells, and also various other cruds swimming pool in the drainpipe typically. You have to pop open the drainpipe cover and utilize a tub claw to remove the debris. Do this ASAP prior to the drainpipe congests completely. After making use of the claw, you can pour drain cleaner to rejuvenate the drainpipe lines.
You may even end up conserving cash in the long run due to the fact that you can relax ensured that your simple plumbing problem will not rise. Simply make certain you call a trusted business with licenses as well as accreditations because you will be inviting unfamiliar people in your house.
Some plumbing problems are much more usual and also can be conveniently dealt with. Doing the repair services yourselves on these basic plumbing issues can save you bunches of cash. As a home owner, you will certainly come across numerous various plumbing issues that occasionally make a hassle. You can utilize a plumbing tool for angling out the debris. You may also finish up conserving money in the long run due to the fact that you can rest ensured that your easy plumbing issue will not escalate.
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