All kinds of problems can crop up with your plumbing. Some are minor and only take a few minutes to repair on your own. Others need the expertise of a professional plumber. Some can cause hundreds if not thousands of dollars of damage to your home.
Whatever the issue, it’s important that you know how to deal with it, how to prevent it, or who to call when you need a plumber. If you’re a new homeowner, be prepared to deal with the plumbing. These are the most common plumbing problems that are likely to come up.
#1 Clogged Bath or Shower Drains
When the water starts to pool around your feet while you’re taking a shower, it’s time to find out what’s clogging the shower drain. Usually it’s an ugly mix of hair and soap scum, though hard water (which leaves mineral deposits) can also be a contributing factor. For the most part, some baking soda and vinegar should be able to help clear out the drain. If not, you may need to snake the drain.
#2 Dripping Faucets
It’s rare to find a homeowner who hasn’t dealt with dripping pipes in the past. Not only can a dripping faucet keep you up at night with the noise, it can also drive up your water bill. Faucets often leak because the tap washer has come loose. You may be able to fix it yourself with a wrench, a screw driver, and a replacement washer, though you may want to call a plumber.
#3 Leaky Pipes
Leaky pipes aren’t just annoying, they can become expensive if you leave them too long. Water waste is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the costs you can wind up facing because of leaky pipes. Leaky pipes can cause a lot of damage to your home, soaking floors, furniture, and the insides of walls. Moist and rotten wood is a thriving home for bugs, especially cockroaches.
Leaks typically happen around joint pipes, and while you can temporarily fix the problem with tape or fillers, to really fix those leaky pipes you need to replace the pipe or fittings.
You can also prevent leaky pipes by taking some basic steps to avoid them from bursting in the winter. Freezing is one of the leading causes of leaky pipes. You can avoid frozen pipes by keeping your thermostat set at the same temperature at night as during the day, and by allowing cold water to drip from any faucets served by pipes that are exposed to the cold. Even just a trickle of water will help prevent freezing.
#4 Slow Draining Sink
A blockage in the drain is restricting water flow but hasn’t blocked it entirely yet. Everything from food particles to congealed oil could be blocking things and you need a drain cleaner to clear things up.
#5 Running Toilet
A constant running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day. Don’t let toilets run indefinitely. The sooner you call a plumber, the better.
These are some of the most common plumbing issues you’re likely to encounter as a new homeowner. Get them fixed fast or pay the price of wasted water and lasting damages.
