8 of the Most Common In-House Plumbing Problems that Require Professional Help

According to statistics, the average home wastes about 10,000 gallons of water per year through innocuous plumbing leaks. Ironically, many plumbing leaks, such as dripping faucets, you can easily fix yourself if you have a little DIY know-how.

But other in-house plumbing leaks and problems are no so easily dealt with, and for these things, one should call in the pros.

Knowing when to call in a plumber can save you from all sorts of unpleasant plumbing disasters — and in many cases, it can also save you a chunk of change. Things like burst pipes and overflowing drains can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage, not to mention a boatload of stress.

So, if you want to know exactly when it is time to call a plumber, read on. Because we are about to share with you all the situations where you are best off seeking professional help.

1. Badly Blocked Drains

One of the most common (and horrible) plumbing problems are blocked drains.

In order to save money, many people try and unblock drains themselves before calling in a plumbing service. While you can often successfully unblock a drain using things like Drano, surprisingly this might actually cost you more down the line than if you called a plumber.

Why?

Harsh drain cleaners such as Drano will eat up the blockage, but they are strong enough to eat at your plumbing system, too. Using very strong drain cleaning products can cause premature wearing of pipes and fittings. When these break in the future, replacing them can be a much bigger expense than a single call-out fee for a blocked drain.

2. Slow Drains

So blocked drains need an expert, but surely slow drains can wait? Nope, even drains that are not completely blocked, but drain slowly, should be attended to.

Slow drains often indicate that a block is on its way. In this case, instead of waiting for the inconvenience of a fully blocked drain, the smart move is to get the issue sorted out ahead of time.

In other cases, slow drains can also indicate more serious problems such as pipes that have narrowed thanks to mineral build-up or even malfunctioning drainage system grading.

So either way, take slow drains seriously and get help as soon as they present themselves.

3. Stinky Drains

Stinking drains not only indicate definite issues in your plumbing system…they are also just downright gross.

Throwing harsh products at the problem can in some cases clear it up, but like in the case of blocked drains — the chemicals in these will likely do more harm than good to your plumbing system in the long run.

So instead of trying to battle foul-smelling drains on your own, it is usually best to just call in your local plumber to get the issue sorted out promptly.

4. Backed Up Drains

Just like slow drains, clogged drains and smelly drains — drains that back up with water are also a problem that likely needs to be handled by a plumber.

Usually, backed up drains indicate that there is a clog present. This could be close to the drain, or if all the drains in the house are backing up, it could also be a more serious clog within the main sewer line itself.

Backed up drains can also be an indication of a damaged pipe.

5. A Water Supply Line Leak

Water supply line leaks happen when the main water line that brings water into your house becomes compromised.

A common sign of a water supply line leak is a very weak flow out of faucets in your house. If you notice that the ground in your yard is mysteriously wet, or that paving areas are damp and not drying out, this is also a sure-fire sign that you might have a mains leak.

Regular water leaks have been shown to use up a similar amount of water to what one uses for showering each month. This is bad enough, but a serious leak in your water supply line could escalate this waste and seriously impact your water bill.

Because of this, and the fact that main water supply pipes are not always easily accessible, supply line leaks need to be professionally attended to.

6. A Drainage Line Leak

A drainage line leak is a leak in one of the pipes that lead used water away from the drains in your house.

These types of leaks can often manifest themselves as damp spots on walls or floors. Sudden mold growth can also indicate a drainage line leak. Buckling areas or cracks are other possible signs of damage caused by drainage line leaks.

These types of leaks are tricky to fix yourself, as the pipes are generally hard to get to. Drainage line leaks can also cause costly damage to your home, so as soon as you suspect a leak you should opt to bring in pro plumbing services.

7. A Sewer Line Leak

What’s worse than a drainage line leak? Perhaps a sewage line leak!

If your sewage line springs a leak, this means that water from your drains and toilet is seeping out somewhere. If you are lucky it will be in your garden, which means that any stink is outside. However, if you are unlucky, the leak could be under the house.

Either way, fixing a broken sewer is a toxic job that requires professional skill and tools.

8. A Gas Leak From Your Water Heater

If you have a natural gas water heater and smell natural gas in your house that does not come from a stove or radiator, then it is likely that your heater has a gas leak.

The first step to take is to ventilate the area thoroughly to prevent any dangerous build-up of gas. Then try to discern whether the smell is coming from the water heater or if it is coming from somewhere closer to the gas meter. If this is the case, you must call the gas company.

However, if it is the water heater that is leaking, then phone up a plumber pronto.

Now You Know When to Call In-House Plumbing Professionals

Nobody wants to waste money, which is why it can be tempting to try and sort out more serious plumbing problems yourself rather than get a call out. There are a lot of plumbing fixes that most of us can do at home, but there are also a number of more serious issues that should have you ringing up a plumber as soon as possible.

Now that you know what these are you can save yourself, time, money and hassle by not tackling any nightmare plumbing jobs yourself.

If you need to get in-house plumbing pros, contact us today to request a free quote.