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When your plumbing isn’t working right, don’t put off calling your plumber. While many people are tempted to make repairs on their own, doing so can put your plumbing at risk for more complex concerns and more expensive repairs. However, it’s not always easy to know when to call a professional for plumbing repair, especially if you’re on a budget and don’t want to overspend. Here are some of the most common plumbing fails and how to deal with them.
You Don’t Have Water
If you wake up, turn on the faucet, and nothing comes out, that could be a problem. Your first step, in this case, is to try to determine the cause. It could be that you’ve shut off the main water valve coming into your home. If it is cold outside, this could be due to a frozen pipeline. In this case, it’s best to call your plumber for help.
Don’t try to unfreeze the water line yourself. If temperatures are not going to go up soon, your line is at risk of bursting. That’s why it is important to call for plumbing repair now. That allows you time before the line breaks to get help. If it’s not due to freezing temps, call the water company to see if they can troubleshoot the problem for you and, if not, then call a plumber.
Drains Are Not Draining
This is a very common problem and one that’s often dealt with in the wrong manner – leading to costly plumbing repair later. Clogs happen in all types of drains from the bathroom shower to the toilet. If you have a drain, there are several steps to take. First, if it’s the toilet, you may be able to use a plunger to move something large through the pipes. If it is the shower drain, try removing the screen on the base of the shower to determine if hair is clogging it.
If this doesn’t solve the problem, call for a plumbing repair. Don’t pour anything down the drain, including chemical drain cleaners. These are very damaging to the interior of the pipes and often cause more damage than they do good. You also don’t want to try to keep plunging the drain as this can cause bursts to happen. Drains with large clogs in them can also be due to tree roots or unseen materials blocking them. In other words, you may not be able to clean them out yourself.
Some people are tempted to remove the U pipe and clean them out. However, this can create an ongoing problem with leaks later. It’s still better to call a plumber for plumbing repair instead.
You Have No Hot Water
Hot water comes from your hot water tank. Most of the time, you probably don’t notice any problems with it until there is no hot water. This can happen for many reasons. To determine what caused this plumbing fail, look at your hot water tank. Is it getting power? Does it have a pilot light that’s lit to heat the tank? Is there any water drainage around it?
There is not much you can do to repair the hot water heater yourself – and you shouldn’t try to because this is a very dangerous process. Your plumber will come to your home, inspect it, and determine if repairs are possible. If not, they can replace your hot water tank for you. Many times, replacement is better because it is less expensive than some types of repairs, and it can improve efficiency overall.
Your Faucets Are Dripping
Don’t ignore those drips. Even though they may just seem annoying, they are probably driving up your water bill considerably. Leaks are often the first step to a bigger problem. It means the gaskets within the faucets may be wearing down. It may also mean you have a crack in the pipe someplace that can cause the problem.
Keep in mind that a dripping faucet can lead to over 500 gallons of water loss in a single year – or more. Sometimes the problem is simple, such as tightening the end of the faucet. It may also be important to replace the gaskets. If this doesn’t help, call for plumbing repair. Doing so allows for significant changes to be made to minimize any other type of damage.
Toilets Not Working Properly
Toilets are some of the most common plumbing fails that can occur. They are also one of the more complex problems to fix. If you have leaking water from the bottom of the tank, it may be due to a broken seal. If the toilet is running all of the time, that could be due to a gasket within the tank that’s damaged. While gaskets seem easy enough to replace, that’s not always possible. Sometimes making those repairs can cause bigger problems.
Other toilet problems are bigger plumbing repair. Frequent clogs could mean there’s damage to the pipes or a blockage further down the line. You may have a toilet that doesn’t flush at all due to low water pressure. In these situations, it is best for you to work closely with your plumber to make repairs. Plumbing repairs may be quick, but they may be more complex as well. Having a professional handle them ensures they are done properly, and there is less risk of damage.
When you have a plumbing fail of any type, realize fixing it quickly is the best option in most cases. A professional can do that for you, in most cases, right away, protecting your home and protecting the plumbing system that runs through it. Putting off a plumbing repair tends to create increasing problems and drives up the cost of repairs. In short, getting help sooner rather than later is a must.
Do You Need Plumbing Repair? Call Us Today
When you suspect something is wrong with your lines, take action. Call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain today to learn more about the solutions we offer. From preventative services to complex repairs, we do it all with attention to detail.
