Many homeowners, or even renters, do not spend a whole lot of time thinking about their plumbing. Even when something breaks outright or is not working the way it should, many people are not sure when they are need of a plumber. There are a lot of things than fall into the DIY category but there are a lot of times when you need plumbing services. Unless you are a plumbing services professional, there are going to be times when you need to call someone to help. Here are some times when you need to put your tools away and get help.
1. You have a clog in your toilet and you cannot get rid of it. If you try and try with the plunger is not working. If you have a snake, you can try that and it may get rid of the clog and you will not be in need of a plumber. One thing you should never do is pour Drano down the toilet to get rid of a clog. If the snake and the plunger will not work, you may have an issue that is further down in the system. If there is an issue with your sewer lines, you will not be able to make it go away. If you keep trying, you may cause a bigger problem for yourself. Call the plumber.
Note: If anyone in your home pours down clumping cat litter into your toilet (you should never, ever do this), it will turn into a cement like substance. You can fix this at home. Get some lemon, hand washing dish soap. Pour it into your toilet and follow with very warm but not hot water, if the water is too hot it can crack the bowl. Plunge with all your might. Repeat. This may take some time (hours).
2. You have a drippy faucet and it just will not stop. It can be so annoying, that drip, drip, drip…The Environmental Protection Agency says it is also very costly. If your faucet is dripping once every second, in a year, you will lose a lot of water. That amount can reach 3,000 gallons. You are in need of a plumber. They can make sure the drip, drip, drip is not caused by a bigger issue.
3. The water in your shower or bathtub will not drain. This is a problem that needs your attention sooner than later. These situations never get better but only worse. This is a time when need to call in a full service plumbing person. You need your system to be thoroughly evaluated for any larger issue with your pipes and plumbing. Even if your drain is draining slower than normal, call the plumber.
4. The water in your system has changed the way it flows.This does not happen in systems that are running smoothly. Problems with or changes to the water pressure mane you are in need of a plumber. They can come out to your home and find where in your system the issue can be found. In some cases, it may be in your supply line. It could be general buildup in your pipes, you will not know if you do not call in a plumber to look at things.
5. If you even suspect your pipes are frozen, you are in need of a plumber. This is a worst case scenario for most homeowners in the winter. A burst pipe can do a lot of damage that will be very expensive to fix. Call in the general contractor as soon as you have any indication that this has happened. They should check to see if any part of your pipes have even the smallest crack as that can lead to big problems. Frozen pipes are never, ever a DIY project, unless you have been trained on working on them.
Dealing with plumbing, anywhere in your home, is never how you want to spend your night or afternoon but sometimes it will be necessary. It is important that you know where the shut off valve is to your home. Then if you have a problem with a flood, can stop it before it gets too bad.
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