Signs Of Common Plumbing Problems To Watch Out For
One of the most unnoticeable issues that all homeowners encounter is plumbing problems. They’re so unapparent that if you don’t pay close attention, you’d soon find that the problem has already become severe.
You can only realize how much you rely on plumbing until you finally have problems with your system. It’s essential for a homeowner to be knowledgeable about the most common plumbing problems and be able to see the signs as early as possible. That way, they’ll know when’s the right time to seek professional help to get things fixed as soon as possible.
For your guide, here are a few signs to watch out for that may lead to potential plumbing problems.
Dripping Faucet
This may be one of the most obvious signs of a plumbing problem. You may think this is only a minor problem or you just have a faucet that wasn’t closed properly. Thus, many people live with drips in their house for as long as they can. However, a dripping faucet can significantly increase your water bill and waste gallons of water every year.
Normally, your water is under pressure when it travels through your pipes. A rubber or silicone-based washer often seals it to prevent any water leaking when you turn your taps off. After a long time, your faucet’s washer will tear down, or displace, which then results in drips and leaks. If the displaced washer is left unfixed, it’ll soon be worn out, forcing you to replace your fixture with a new one.
Clogged Drain
In most cases, clogs happen if you force large objects or food scraps down your drain. Some homeowners tend to repair it by using a plunger and pliers to remove the clog. Usually, this would release a foul smell due to rotten food. If the drain or toilet is clogged, you can use a drain cleaner or clog remover instead. However, these chemicals do have side effects and cause damage to your pipes. If the issue’s still unresolved, call a professional plumber to clean those pipes and fix the drain for you.
As for a clogged toilet, it may be a sign of a full septic tank, especially if it keeps backing up despite the use of a plunger. It’s also possible that tree roots are growing into your pipes, hence the clogging. Unresolved clogs can lead to overflowing and potential damage on your floors.
Running Toilet
If your toilet water keeps running intermittently and your water bill is unusually high, it’s a sign that you have a running toilet. A running toilet can make your water bills to soar high, especially if left unfixed. This problem occurs when your toilet’s flapper valve does not fit anymore, or it could be that the fill tube is loose. It’s highly recommended to call a plumber as soon as possible and have your toilet’s inner workings checked.
Stains and Smells
Look closely at your walls and ceiling and check if there’s a musty and watery stain. This is a sign of a water leak. If the color of the wall stain is dark, it’s due to mold growth, which means that the water leak has already been there for a long time. If the watery leak is in the ceiling, it’s either you have a bathroom leak on the second floor, or you may have a problem with your roofing system and not with your plumbing system.
Other signs of a water leak are caulk and cracked grout. As soon as you see signs of a leak, call your trusted plumber immediately and have the damaged materials fixed or replaced to prevent mold from spreading and causing more severe damage.
Low Water Pressure
If you’ve noticed that every time you turn on your tap, only trickles of water come out, it means you have low water pressure. If you’ve opened your valve all the way and you get the same results, it could mean that residue is building up in your old pipes. You can try to remove the faucet aerator first and clean off any stacked deposits or debris before replacing it.
If this doesn’t fix the issue, it’s time to seek professional help immediately. Low water pressure could happen due to tiny pipe holes, an unlocated leak somewhere in your plumbing, or clogged pipes.
Leaky Pipes
There are many possible root causes of leaky pipes, including:
- Pipe corrosion
- Cracked pipes or seals
- High water pressure
- Clogs
- Damage to the pipe joint
- Incorrect laying of pipes
Regardless of the root cause, this plumbing problem should be fixed by your plumber as soon as possible. The longer they’re unresolved, the damage can become severe to both your plumbing system and home.
Wrapping Up
Identifying a plumbing problem can be easy if you pay closer attention to the signs and red flags listed above. Always remember that once any of those signs show up, call your plumber immediately to identify the root cause as soon as possible and get things fixed in no time.
About the author
Joselyn Mallory is a mother to three beautiful children and is using her experience as a parent and homeowner to update her blogs. Joselyn talks about parenthood, marriage and home improvement on her blog, hoping to help readers who find themselves struggling to accomplish these responsibilities.
Joselyn also submits guest posts to other blogs as an attempt to help more readers.
Metal sculpture in brass, mounted on an 1800s French Coin
Hello Joselyn! Thanks for sharing such a valuable and informative piece of article with us. Your way of explanation is excellent and I really enjoy reading this blog. I always prefer to call the professional plumbers when I need to because whenever I try to fix the problem on my own it becomes worse, LOL. Keep writing!
Thanks for helping me understand that you should be cautious about your pipes if they start to show signs of corrosion or cracks. I never knew that these could lead to water leaks around your home. I’ll follow your advice and hire a plumber if ever this happens to me.