Plumbing Dangers: Plumbing Problems You Should Never Fix By Yourself And Always Call A Plumber For | Cibolo, TX
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For most homeowners in Cibolo, TX, taking the DIY route is an excellent way of saving money. In fact, 70 percent of Americans prefer the DIY approach when embarking on minor repairs and home improvements. The increasing trend of homeowners fixing their stuff isn’t surprising since the internet is full of blog posts and instructional videos on making all types of projects, no matter their complexity.
However, not everything on the internet is true, and the DIY projects may not be as inexpensive or easy as they seem. Some projects, especially plumbing, may involve technical work that’s best left to the professionals.
Whenever you face plumbing mishaps in your home you may wonder if you should handle the problem yourself or call a plumber to make the necessary repairs. If it is a minor problem, then a DIY approach will make sense, but attempting to fix some plumbing problems could worsen the situation and cost you more money in the end. To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled some of the issues that will be best handled by a licensed plumbing service in Cibolo, TX.
Slow Draining Sinks
Slow draining sinks are not only an inconvenience but cause unpleasant and disgusting smells. Still, some people leave these problems unattended, leading to complete blockage and other issues.
The moment you face this plumbing issue, you should check any blockage, such as oily residues, food remains, or fats, preventing the water flow. If it is your bathroom sink, you can check for soap or knotted hair. After locating the blockage, most folks take the DIY approach by pouring chemicals to unblock the pipes. Unfortunately, chemical drain cleaning can only clear small plumbing clogs, and in many blocked drains, this method is usually ineffective.
When you experience clogged drains in your kitchen or bathroom, it would be best to contact a plumber immediately. An experienced plumbing professional will use a plumber’s snake to clear the clogged sink or pour down vinegar, baking soda, or any chemical drain cleaner. Unlike the layperson, the plumber knows the amount of chemicals to use.
Low Water Pressure
You may open your faucet and notice little water coming out. In such cases, the water will only be dripping with no pressure to pump the water out.
This could be caused by a clog deep within the plumbing system or a leak somewhere in the system. In some cases, the problem could be caused by sedimentation, a breakage of the main water supply, or even a bent pipe.
Minerals in water can also accumulate, causing low water pressure. It would help if you were careful of the large deposits of minerals in plumbing pipes because they end up obstructing the flow of water.
Fixing a low water pressure problem is no easy task, and you’ll need to contact a competent plumber in Cibolo, TX, to handle the situation. This is because you may not have advanced skills and the proper tools for the job.
Clogged Toilet
A clogged toilet is the ultimate stand-down. Clogging a toilet is embarrassing, and at some point, it may have happened when you least expected it.
The toilet bowl will fill up, making you anxious, especially when it fails to drain away. Such blockage is usually a mixture of undissolved toilet paper and water. If you have a plunger, you could use it to loosen the blockage.
However, in many cases, the blockage could be because of more issues lurking in the pipes’ internal parts, and it would be a good move to have a professional resolve this problem.
Dripping Faucets
Faucets are important in all homes. But a leaking tap can be a nuisance and lead to high water bills and even damage. Most of the time, faucets start dripping when they are old or worn out. It may seem a minor problem, but such leaking faucets can waste approximately 3,000 gallons annually.
To understand why faucets leak, it’s important to learn how they work. Taps control the flow of water via the use of an inner stem, which has seals or neoprene washers that close and open against water inlet ports inside the faucet.
If the seals fail to fit properly, they allow a little amount of water to pass to the faucet spout, creating a wasteful drip, drip, drip. Seals could malfunction because of foreign material inside the faucet body or corrosion.
Most folks think fixing a leaky faucet is a simple task that can be handled without involving a plumber. This is not far from the truth because, with proper tools, you can easily fix the problem. But since you may not have the correct tools in most cases, it would be wise to call a plumber in Cibolo, TX. Never ignore dripping faucets because you may end with costly repairs and high water bills.
Clogged Bath or Shower Drain
If the water in your shower is taking a while to drain, then a clog could be forming in the shower drain. If you ignore this as a minor issue, then one day, you’ll wake up with a blocked shower drain that’ll end up ruining your beautiful morning.
Surprisingly simple things such as soap, hair, and scum are the major cause of bathtub shower clogs. They don’t block your drains overnight; instead, they accumulate over time around the drain, causing clogs, which congest the shower drain, leading to drainage problems.
Since it seems like a minor issue, most homeowners search online for quick hacks to fix the problem, but the approach may backfire when you face stubborn clogs.
In such extreme cases, it would be wise to seek professional assistance. A professional plumber will inspect to determine if the blockage results from hair and soap or just soap scum before using effective tricks to handle the extreme clogging.
The expert may also recommend that you install a drain guard to capture hair, preventing it from slipping through the hole.
Stinky Drains
Smells from the drains can be very unbearable. Such smells mean that something is wrong with your plumbing system, and you should respond promptly. These hazardous smells could be caused by rotten vegetables, eggs, or sewage emanating from the kitchen drain. Sometimes it could be due to bacteria build-up or fat and rotten food trapped in the pipes when flushing.
As a busy homeowner, the first thing you may do to remove the stench may be using harsh products, but this will be a temporary solution. The foul smell, whether from the bathroom or kitchen sink drain, will become unbearable in the long run.
Although you may not experience an overflow, stinky drains will end up affecting your health. Instead of using the tricks you quickly researched online to solve the problem, it would be best to contact a plumber to check and fix the problem.
Also, most drains in Cibolo, TX, do not have a soil vent pipe (SVP), which diverts foul smells away from the living rooms by providing an alternative route.
Instead of replacing the entire drain system, a professional plumber will help you get and install an SVP in your bathroom or kitchen.
Sweaty Toilet
Even toilets sweat, not just humans! But while for us it’s healthy, a sweating toilet tank is not cool; in fact, it signifies bigger trouble down the road.
This is how sweating toilets happen. When external temperatures begin to rise, indoor temperatures rise as well. This is common in bathrooms where there’s more moisture and less ventilation.
The humidity inside the bathroom will come into contact with the cold toilet tank, creating condensation. For many homeowners, this is a normal and minor issue, but in the long run, it damages the flooring or drywall and causes mold if not addressed. Don’t fall into the trap of using quick fixes to prevent sweating toilets, which are not long-lasting.
A skilled plumber can help diagnose this problem, hence helping you avoid using excessive water and keep your utility bill in check.
Basement Sewer Backed Up
The basement plumbing system is one of the vital parts of your home’s plumbing that acts as an outlet for any unwanted water. At one point, you may experience a sewer backup in your basement.
The water is always under pressure, thus it will be looking for any available route to escape, hence it ends up slipping out of the floor drain or via the main house trap. This problem is more complicated than it may appear, and any attempt to fix it could worsen it.
Since most folks are a novice in plumbing, they’ll not know the cause of the problem, hence ending up diagnosing the wrong reason and tampering with the plumbing system. A professional plumber will start by diagnosing the problem by first checking the point of the backup.
A Drainage Line Problem
Sometimes the pipe supplying used water from the drains could be affected, causing a fault in the drainage line. In that case, the used water will seek another route to escape, resulting in excessive pressure in the drainage pipe that could lead to damp spots on the walls or floors.
Although the problem may not be noticed immediately, signs such as mold growth or cracks and buckling areas are some of the indicators that could point to a drainage line problem. It is usually hard to fix such pipes because of the complex installation, thus a licensed plumber would help address this problem promptly.
Drainage line problems always lead to costly repairs. Fortunately, with regular plumbing inspections, you can avoid such leaks or related signs before they worsen.
A Break in The Water Main Line
This is a plumbing horror that should never happen to any homeowner. Water main breaks can be dramatic and even worse if handled by amateurs.
A broken pipe forces water out of the ground, creating a fountain that shoots many feet into the air, flooding the street with hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water. This geyser could lead to a massive opening in the ground, leading to accidents.
If it happens to break in your front yard, you’ll need an experienced and trained plumber to inspect the causes of the break and fix it.
Broken Sewer Lines
Most homes experience sewer pipe problems, especially when the lifespan of installed pipes lapses, which is 20 to 30 years. These pipes, especially cast iron pipes, could also fail when left unattended. A break in the sewer line could also be caused by misaligned connections or tree root intrusion. Nothing is scary like a drainage line break, hence no homeowners should invest in regular maintenance to avoid plumbing system failure.
In the worst cases, it could even happen inside your house, causing a mess, making it difficult to diagnose and fix. No sane homeowner in their right mind will even attempt to fix this problem on their own. It’s a toxic job that needs experts with the proper tools and skills. When you experience sewer line breaks, immediately call an emergency plumber in Cibolo, TX, to fix or replace it.
Malfunctioning Sink Pipes
It’s easier to notice a malfunctioning sink pipe when it’s visible under the sink. However, it’s difficult to diagnose the actual problem unless you separate the lines or check them closely. The only way to locate the problem is by taking the pipes apart, which is a dangerous undertaking, especially for a novice. You can save yourself the trouble by contacting a pro in Cibolo, TX.
Reliable Plumbers For Your Residential and Commercial Needs
Now you know some of the plumbing problems that you should leave to professional plumbers. Although you’ll save hundreds of dollars by taking the DIY route since some common issues are pretty easy to fix, other times, hiring a licensed plumber is cost-effective.
In many cases, you’ll not be sure about diagnosing a plumbing problem or replacing a component on your own. Don’t sweat it; bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio has you covered! Our experienced plumbers can help you out with all your plumbing problems. Besides, we are also experts in drain cleaning, leak detection, plumbing fixture replacement, and water heater installation and repair.
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