10 Reasons to Call an Emergency Plumber | San Antonio, TX
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There is a multitude of situations that may require the help of an emergency plumber, from the mild to the downright dangerous. Understanding the type of crisis you’re experiencing can help you to determine the action you should take to get the assistance you need. When things go wrong in your home, it can cause panic and has the potential to do severe damage to your property and possessions — but help is at hand.
If you’re in San Antonio, TX, and you need to call in a plumbing emergency, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio is on hand. Below are some common plumbing emergencies that we can assist you with.
1. Broken Water Lines
Depending on the infrastructure of where you live, broken water lines could be a common occurrence. For some people, it’s incredibly rare, and you may not know what to do. Tree roots and earthquakes are the prime suspects when it comes to burst water lines. Overenthusiastic gardening could even lead to a misplaced shovel breaking through a main water line.
If a water line is broken, pools of water could form on your lawn, water quality may have diminished and you might have little or no water pressure from the faucet. If a sewer line is the issue, an unpleasant smell could also be present. In any case, you’ll need to enlist the services of an emergency plumber.
2. Sump Pump Failure
If you’re having trouble with your sump pump, there’s something you can try before calling an emergency plumber. Remove the screen and attempt to remove any debris that could be preventing the impeller from rotating as it should. If there’s no build-up of dirt, you’ll need the help of a professional. The pump may have a defective float switch. This could be caused by a faulty electrical connection or thermal overload, especially if the pump has been in operation for an extended period.
3. Burst Pipes
If a pipe has burst, the first thing you’ll need to take care of calling an emergency plumber. At the same time, try to stem the flow of water and prevent it from escalating. Bursts pipes can release as much as 100 gallons of water in eight hours, so the potential for damage is incredibly high. Shut off your water supply as soon as possible and open the taps to release any water remaining in the pipes. Move furniture and use buckets to catch residual leaks.
4. Unpleasant Odors
If you can smell sewage smells when you turn on your taps, there’s probably an issue with your septic tank or sump pump. Exposure to sewage can be dangerous for you and your family, so instead of trying to fix it yourself, we’d recommend calling an emergency plumber.
5. Issues with Your Toilet
One of the most common troubles you might run into with your plumbing is a faulty toilet. You can take steps to rectify the problem yourself before enlisting the help of an emergency plumber. Get a pair of rubber gloves, open up the tank and inspect the seal and the flapper. If you can, close the flapper — this will prevent more water from accumulating in the bowl. Get a plunger and slowly press down the first time to seal it in. Then, use more aggressive plunging motions to unclog the block. If this doesn’t work, or you don’t feel like fishing around in the toilet tank, call an expert.
What you must never do is pour boiling water down your toilet, and we’d strongly recommend against using harsh drain un-blockers. Both can erode your pipes and lead to further damage down the line.
6. Blocked Drains
When the sink starts draining woefully slowly or the shower makes that dreaded gurgling noise, it could be a sign of a bigger problem looming. Clogs are caused by daily use, the accumulation of food, hair, soap scum, grease and whatever else ends up down the plughole! If the water has stopped draining entirely, it’s time to call an emergency plumber.
7. Leaking Water Heater
A leaking water heater may go unnoticed for a while, leading to gradual damage to floors and walls. To confirm, check the water basin and see how quickly the drip pan is filling up. If it turns out to be the water heater, immediately turn off the heater itself, as well as the water inlet. The inlet is usually located to the side or just above the water heater. As an extra precaution, turn off the main water valve and get in touch with an emergency plumber.
8. Frozen Pipes
In the winter months, pipes are prone to freezing up and disrupting your entire plumbing system – even in San Antonio, TX. Freezing can be particularly hazardous as the piping can crack when faced with extreme cold. If there aren’t any breaks in the pipe, you can use a hairdryer on a low heat to thaw it out. If the pipe is broken, it’s an emergency, and you’ll need the help of an expert. Ask them to install an insulator to prevent the same thing from happening again.
9. Scalding Hot Water
Scalding water from taps and showers indicates that your water heater has overheated. In this scenario, we’d recommend switching the water heater off, turning on all the hot taps in the house to drain the hot water and calling an emergency plumber.
10. Leaking Pipes
Leaks that occur as the result of a crack or break require the assistance of a professional. Patching it up isn’t a long-term fix and may lead to further complications. If the pipes are old or there’s a bigger problem with your plumbing, you may need to inspect the rest of the pipes in your house to make sure there’s no risk of additional leaks developing.
Do You Need an Emergency Plumber in San Antonio, TX?
When there’s a problem with your plumbing that requires immediate attention, call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio, TX, at 210-876-1629 today.
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