When you have plumbing trouble, the signs are not always obvious. But if left untreated, your problems can cause serious damage to your home. Even a small dripping of a pipe can lead to the growth of mildew, cause rotting of your walls and floors, and reduce your home’s air quality. And worst, common plumbing problems can trigger skin irritation, asthma attacks, coughing, sneezing, irritated eyes, and lung impairment. So it is unequivocally essential to become aware of the typical issues in plumbing. By learning about the general plumbing concerns, you can prepare for them better.
Common plumbing issues that every homeowner must be aware of
Here are the most common issues with plumbing that plagues many homeowners:
- Dripping faucets
- Clogged toilet
- Clogged shower or bath tub drain
- Abnormal water pressure
- Sink drains slow
- Running toilet
- Clogged garbage disposal
- Leaking pipes
- Water heater problem
- Leaking hose bibb
- Sump pump malfunction
Now that you have an insight on the plumbing issues to look out for, you can start keeping an eye on your plumbing system.
How to detect typical plumbing problems at home
Even if you have no background in plumbing, you can gain knowledge on how to see telltale signs of a plumbing concern. By learning how to recognize a potential problem, you can avoid costly plumbing repairs in the future.
1. Significant increase in water bills
If nothing changed in your home arrangement but you noticed that your water bill increased, then that is a cause for alarm. Check all your faucets for drips, and determine if your walls and floors have wet areas. Leaky pipes or dripping faucets, no matter how small, can cause an increase in your water bills. And in the long run, they can cause more than a couple of dollars.
2. Growth of wall mould
Once the pipe leaks, the condensation and moisture on the wall turns into mould. And this symptom of a leaky plumbing system needs to be addressed since mould is dangerous to your health. Plus, it is quite ugly to look at so you can detect a plumbing issue immediately.
3. Weird noises
When you start to hear weird noise in your house, don’t imagine the supernatural immediately. Determine the cause first. And if plumbing is the problem, then there are five types of noises you will hear.
- Humming – conveys that you have an issue with your water pressure, where the pressure is too much for your pipes.
- Banging – happens when water hammers or air bubbles are trapped in the pipe.
- Gurgling – result of a blocked pipe when you drain water.
- Whistling – caused by worn out valves or faucets that are not working properly.
- Rattling – occurs when the fastener holding the pipe is fell off or gotten loose.
4. Corrosion in pipe
Pipe corrosion is a sign of water leakage, and this issue needs to be resolved to prevent bigger damage in your plumbing system.
5. Pungent odor
Bad odor is not something that you can escape at home. So when you start to smell a pungent odor, it could mean that you have a clogged drain.
6. Leaking pipe
If you notice a collection of water under your sink or water pooling near a pipe, then you know that you have a problem with your plumbing.
7. Dripping faucets
The annoying sound of a dripping faucet can be stopped by fixing the problem.
8. Water pressure is low
Test all taps of water in your house to figure out if the issue is with one tap only, or with your whole plumbing.
9. Slow drain
Slow draining is a telltale sign that you have a clogged pipe. This unfortunate occurrence can happen in your kitchen sink or shower drain.
10. Running toilet
When the flapper valve gets damaged, running toilet becomes a problem. This increases your water consumption, and is a sure sign that internal components of your toilet need replacement.
What to do when the plumbing issues occur in your house?
If you have detected plumbing problems in your house, then do not hesitate to call for help. In fact, on average, homeowners contact a local professional plumber at least one time every three years. But of course, regardless of the frequency, let the experts work on your plumbing system if problems persist.
Just make sure to do a simple background check on your chosen plumber first, and determine if there’s a plumbing license.
Conclusion
As a homeowner, you need to understand that it is inevitable to have plumbing issues. Your fixtures age with time, damaged through constant use, or failed to withstand the pressure due to low quality materials. And so it is imperative to choose the best professional plumber in the Golden State to install or repair your plumbing system.
