Tag Archives: plumbing emergencies

Mar '23

When is the Right Time to Call Emergency Plumbing Services?

Calling an emergency plumber can be a daunting task. It is essential to know when to call a plumber and when to wait for a regular appointment. Knowing the right time to call an emergency plumber is essential in order to minimize the damage and to get a quick solution.

Right Time to Call Plumber

When it comes to plumbing emergencies, timing is of the essence. It is important to act quickly and seek help from an emergency plumber in order to minimize the damage to your home or business. Here are some situations when you should consider calling an emergency plumber.

• If you have a burst pipe: A burst pipe can cause a lot of damage to your home or business. If you notice that a pipe is leaking, it is important to shut off the water supply and call an emergency plumber immediately.

• If you have a backed up sewer line: A backed up sewer line can cause a lot of damage to your home or business. If you notice that your sewer line is backed up, it is important to call an emergency plumber right away.

• If you notice a gas leak: A gas leak can be a dangerous situation. If you notice a gas leak, it is important to turn off the gas supply and call an emergency plumber right away.

• If you have a water heater leak: A water heater leak can cause a lot of damage to your home or business. If you notice a water heater leak, it is important to shut off the water supply to the water heater and call an emergency plumber right away.

• If you have a major plumbing issue: If you have a major plumbing issue, such as a clogged drain or burst pipe that needs immediate repair, it is important to call an emergency plumber right away.

When to Call an Emergency Plumber

It is important to know when to call an emergency plumber. If you are not sure whether you should call an emergency plumber, it is always best to err on the side of caution and call one. An emergency plumber can provide you with peace of mind and can help to minimize the damage to your home or business.

It is important to keep in mind that some plumbers are not always available 24/7. Depending on the plumbing emergency, it may be necessary to wait for a regular appointment. If you are unsure whether the plumbing issue can wait for a regular appointment, it is always best to call an emergency plumber and discuss the issue.

It is also important to keep in mind that emergency plumbers can be expensive. If you are on a tight budget, it is important to weigh the cost of the emergency plumber with the cost of the potential damage. If the potential damage is greater than the cost of the emergency plumber, it is best to call one.

In conclusion, knowing when to call an emergency plumber is essential. It is important to act quickly and seek help from an emergency plumber in order to minimize the damage to your home or business. If you are unsure whether the plumbing issue can wait for a regular appointment, it is always best to call an emergency plumber and discuss the issue. Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that emergency plumbers can be expensive and weigh the cost of the emergency plumber with the cost of the potential damage.

Feb '22

Common Plumbing Emergencies to Avoid

A home’s plumbing system is critical to the comfort and safety of its inhabitants. But like most essential things in life, good plumbing is only valued when it malfunctions.

Plumbing is all about managing water. But because water moves, it is not always easy to control. This is why water related issues top the list of things homeowners have to contend with.

They can result in widespread damage and are notoriously expensive to fix, warns Peak Residential.com. That’s why today we look at the most common plumbing emergencies homeowners face and how to deal with them.

The most common plumbing emergencies:

Clogged Drains and Toilets

Description and causes: If water backs up when you empty a sink, take a shower or flush the toilet, then you have a clogged drain. This problem is caused by something lodging inside the pipes, blocking them, and preventing water passage. Blockages are often caused by hair or small objects that slip into the drain. For the same reason, you should be careful about what you put in your garbage disposal.

Solutions and how to avoid it: Depending on what is blocking the drain, you can remove it with a plunger or call in your plumber. Use a hair catcher in the shower and avoid trying to flush small objects that fall into the drain. Find a way to remove them instead.

Dripping Faucets and Leaky Pipes

Description and causes: Dripping faucets never shut off completely, while leaks occur mostly at pipe joints. Together, they will dramatically increase the water bill. Drips are easy to spot since you can see and hear them. Leaks are often hidden and may cause major damage before they are detected. A dripping faucet is caused by damage to the washer that seals the faucet. Leaks occur when pipes wear out, shift or burst due to water pressure.

Solutions and how to avoid it: You can fix a dripping faucet by simply replacing the washer. Fixing leaky pipes, however, depends on the cause and extent of the problem. It is usually better to have a professional plumber deal with it. These two problems are almost unavoidable because they are the result of normal wear and tear. The best way to avoid them is through regular inspections and maintenance.

Low Water Pressure

Description and causes: This results in a general loss of water pressure that makes it hard to shower or rinse things. The source of the problem may be that the main water supply is broken. Or it can result from a pipe leak inside the house. It may also be caused by the build-up of sediments and minerals inside pipes, faucet aerators, and showerheads. In this case, the problem will occur gradually.

Solutions and how to avoid it: If the problem is caused by a build-up, the faucet tap or showerhead should be cleaned. Soaking them in vinegar for a few hours will solve the problem. If it is not a problem of sediment or mineral build-up, get a plumber to look at your pipes.

Water Heater Issues

Description and causes: If a shower dumps cold water on you when you are expecting warm water, you have a water heater malfunction. Other signs of the problem are drips, discolored water, puddles, and noise from the heater. The usual cause of the problem is a leak or insufficient water. A build-up of lime scale may also cause the heater to fail.

Solutions and how to avoid it: Check whether the pilot light is on and if the temperature setting is right. Drain the water heater tank to discard sediments. But if there is water pooling beneath the heater, shut off its power/gas supply, as well as, its water supply. After you do this, get a plumber to inspect the apparatus.

Running Toilet

Description and causes: You have a running toilet if the fill valve in the tank can never shut-off. The result is that the toilet keeps running, pushing up your water bill in the process. A running toilet still works, even though it wastes water. This problem is caused by an ill fitting flapper valve, imbalanced float, loose-fill tube, or a leak in the system.

Solutions and how to avoid it: Each component of the system needs to be inspected to detect the source of the problem. This emergency is easy to fix if it is caused by displaced components. But if the toilet components are damaged, you may need a plumber.

Frozen Pipes

Description and causes: If the water inside a pipe freezes, the home is deprived of water and the pipes will be more likely to burst. Frozen pipes are caused by exposing them to the cold during the winter.

Solutions and how to avoid it: This problem is best avoided by wrapping exposed pipes with heater tapes and disconnecting outdoor water hoses. If pipes freeze, contact an emergency plumber immediately.

Sewer System Issues

Description and causes: Sewer system issues are varied. The system may backup, be blocked, or burst. These are caused by clogging in the system, as well as, tree roots blocking pipes. It could also result when something other than human waste or toilet paper is flushed down the toilet.

Solutions and how to avoid it: in almost all cases, sewer issues are best solved by professional plumbers.

Nov '21

Top Reasons to Call for Emergency Plumbing Service

DIY solutions for all kinds of home maintenance issues are all the rave right now. Whether as a way to save money or because they don’t want to be so dependent on experts, people relish the fact that they can solve many of their home maintenance problems themselves. The availability of hundreds of hours of YouTube videos plus easy-to-use tools are turning many homeowners into ardent DIYers.

But there is still a difference between being a passionate DIYer and being an expert. As long as you know where your abilities as a DIYer end and the knowledge of an expert begins, you should be safe.

Using DIY solutions when you should call an expert is the reason for many costly but avoidable repairs. And in no area of home maintenance is this more common than when dealing with the home’s plumbing.

Unlike the electrical systems of the home, says Archer Management Group, people feel relatively safe working with the plumbing in their homes. With electrical problems, a nasty electric shock, house fires, or even death are the possibilities. The worst thing that can happen when DIY-ing a plumbing issue is the home gets flooded. As a result, you will find more homeowners attempting to fix their plumbing issues by themselves.

But it is important to know which plumbing issues are within your abilities as an amateur and those that require the attention of a professional plumber. To save you the stress and unnecessary damage that can follow when you use a DIY approach when expert knowledge is required, here are the plumbing emergencies where you definitely should call an expert.

Plumbing issues that you can handle

These are the plumbing problems that can be handled by you or any person in your home without any adverse outcomes.

Clogged drains: Clogged drains are such a common occurrence in the home that it makes absolutely no sense to call a plumber every time the bathwater refuses to drain or the kitchen sink drain is blocked.
Re-caulking the bathroom: As vital as the caulking in the bathtub and shower is, this is not something you need expert help to replace. Re-caulking the different areas of the bathroom is not difficult at all.
Fixing a leaking faucet or replacing a faucet: For these kinds of jobs, you only need a few tools and a ton of patience. The risk of injury or something going badly wrong with the plumbing is minimal.
Replacing the faucet aerator: The faucet aerator prevents splashing and also filters debris out of your water. Replacing this small device is so easy you can do it without any tools.

Plumbing emergencies that require expert attention

If you experience any of these following plumbing issues, do not attempt to fix the problem yourself. Instead, call an emergency plumber. Even if you think you know what is causing the problem and how to fix it, there may be underlying issues you are not aware of. Failing to deal with the root cause of the problem will only give it time to worsen and make it costlier to fix.

An overflowing toilet

An overflowing toilet is one of the most disgusting plumbing emergencies to have in your home. Toilets overflow when the drain is blocked but, in this case, the blockage is severe enough that the water in the bowl actually overflows.

Toilet water is rich in disease-causing germs. Dealing with the blockage and stopping the flooding is paramount. For this, you need a professional plumber.

Frequent drain clogs

If you find that your drain is constantly getting clogged and the usual DIY methods only solve the problem temporarily, you have a plumbing emergency. In all probability, there is sludge buildup or some other kind of blockage in the pipes. If you don’t deal with the problem immediately, it can result in flooding or even a sewer backup.

Frozen or burst pipes

Frozen pipes are a huge possibility and a major inconvenience if you live in an area with sub-zero winter temperatures. Attempting to thaw out a frozen pipe by applying heat can cause further damage. If pipes get frozen, you should get a professional plumber to fix the issue. This also applies if a pipe in your home bursts suddenly.

Malfunctioning water heater

Excessively hot or inadequate hot water from a water heater, strange noises from the appliance, water boiling inside the water heater, colored water from the device and leaks, are common water heater issues.

A water heater repair emergency is not something you want to tackle yourself. If the water heater in your home is not working at all or working improperly, call a professional plumber.

Natural gas leak in the home

If you smell natural gas in your home, do not hesitate to contact your plumber. Natural gas leaks can come from your stove or other sources inside or outside the home. These problems are within the domain of a plumber. Before you call the plumber turn off the valve and open the window, but whatever you do, don’t try to fix the problem yourself.