Learning to spot the signs of a plumbing problem can save you significant amounts of money by avoiding major disasters and emergency calls to the plumber.
When your sink completely stops draining or you wake up to a bathroom full of smelly sewer water,
you know it is time to call a plumber, but there are other signs of problems lurking below the surface that you may not spot so easily. If you can learn to spot some of the earlier signs of plumbing problems, you can call a professional before you end up with an emergency situation. This typically costs less money and creates far less stress and damage in your home.
Drains Are Slow
When your drains start running slowly, it indicates there is something stopping up the flow along the way somewhere. Sometimes you can fix this on your own. You can use commercial drain cleaning solutions or send a snake down the drain to dislodge the blockage. If these solutions do not work, consider calling a plumber. If you do not dislodge whatever is slowing down your drain, it will eventually turn into a full blockage, and you will have overflowing water.
The Toilet Gets Stopped Up
Taking the plunger to the toilet once in a while is normal in the average American household, but if you find that you need to use the plunger regularly because your potty is getting backed up, then you are probably facing a bigger plumbing problem somewhere. Your septic tank may need to be emptied, or tree roots may be clogging the septic system. You may even find an error in the design of the flow away from your toilet, such as too many turns and bends. A plumber can help fix these problems.
Low Water Pressure
Low water pressure can be more than just an annoyance. Old pipes sometimes become gummed up with residue, especially if you have hard water. You may also have pipes that are too small for the amount of water you are asking them to carry. Leaks can also cause low water pressure. These plumbing problems are easily found and fixed by a plumber, but not necessarily by the average homeowner.
Gurgling Drains
When drains gurgle, it happens because something is blocking the drain and allowing air to get trapped inside. In order to allow the water to drain, the air must first be released, making the gurgling sound. Finding and dislodging the blockage will eliminate the gurgling and help your drains flow faster.
Faucet Handles Leak When Turned On
If your faucet handles leak when you turn on the water, you likely need new o-rings. This is a plumbing problem you can easily fix by yourself with a quick and inexpensive trip to the hardware store. If replacing the o-rings doesn’t stop the problem, call the plumber.
Stinky Drains
Two problems can lead to stinky drains. One is stinky residue stuck somewhere in the pipe. This is particularly common in kitchen drains, but can also occur in bathrooms, especially if the drains are not used regularly so water is allowed to accumulate in them and sit stagnantly.
The other cause of this plumbing problem is an empty P-trap. The P-trap is supposed to remain full of water to stop odors from coming back up the drain. If this water evaporates, you will smell the odors. Simply add some water to the P-trap and see if your odors stop.
