Common Plumbing Problems: Key Property Owner Must Understand
Common Plumbing Problems: Key Property Owner Must Understand
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15 Common Plumbing Problems Every Homeowner Needs to Watch Out For
Dripping Faucet
The most obvious detriment of having a dripping faucet is wasting water. Assuming a faucet drips only once a second, that’s 86,400 drips a day. At 15,140 drips per gallon, that’s a total of 5.7 gallons of wasted water a day. That’s more than 2,000 gallons a year, which is about 8 tons of water literally going right down the drain. These are the numbers for just a single faucet. If the home has more than one leaky faucet, the waste quickly multiplies. Even if you have a slow-drip faucet, you’re wasting a whole lot of water.
That’s in addition to the fact that water and metal surfaces don’t generally go well together. All that excess water can create patches of rust in pipes and other fixtures. This could lead to even more leaks — many of which might be undetectable until it’s too late.
Similarly, water and wood don’t mix well, either. Instead of rust, rot becomes the enemy. Wet, rotting wood can also breed mold, which can cause many health issues. A combination of rot, rust and mold can be disastrous for the structural integrity of your home.
Fixing a dripping faucet — and preventing all these issues — can be as simple as putting in new O-rings, but it also depends on the type of faucet you have.
Running Toilet
A running toilet is an even more wasteful version of the leaky-faucet problem. How bad can it get? Well, a small toilet will waste about 20-30 gallons of water per day. A medium-sized toilet will waste more, while a running bidet will waste a dozen tons of water a month. If your toilet is running and a couple of quick handle jiggles don’t get it to stop, then you should call a plumber.
Of course, the running toilet could be as simple as a leaking flapper. That still wastes water, albeit at a much-reduced rate.
In either case, a plumber will be able to set you right. Sometimes, the toilet will run only for a second or two, intermittently. This is the famous “haunted toilet” that seems to have a ghost flushing it. Most of the time, however, the reason it does this is all too real: a worn-out stopper. It would be a good idea to replace all the inner workings of the toilet when replacing one. That way, you won’t have to have two service calls in quick succession.
Clogged Toilet
Clogged toilets can be annoying. They overflow. They smell bad. They get waste all over the floor. And worse, yet: They can be a symptom of a much more dire situation than you might initially suspect: septic system damage.
Fortunately, clogged toilets aren’t usually a sign of faulty plumbing or impending catastrophe. A few vigorous plunges should clear them. Still, there are times when you need to call a plumber. For instance: If water or sewage backs up in multiple locations within the home, something is seriously wrong.
When these situations occur, the blockage could be anywhere from the septic tank or sewer line to ... well, any pipe in the house. An expert professional plumber might have to use powerful tools to clear the clogs. Sometimes, the clogs happen because people flush stuff that shouldn’t be flushed, such as hair, dental floss and food. You can help keep your toilet, pipes, and sewer and septic tank connections healthy by following the old plumber’s maxim: No. 1, No. 2 and toilet paper only.
Water Heater Not Working
Water heater problems might require the services of a plumber, an expert natural-gas professional, an electrician or any combination of the three. Some common issues include:
Valves giving way, causing the water heater to flood the surrounding area
Corrosion or rust interfering with water circulation in the tank
Bacteria invading the tank and making your water smell terrible
But the most common problem with a water heater is that it doesn’t live up to its name — providing either too little hot water, or none at all.
If it’s the latter, it might be as simple as needing to relight the pilot on a gas heater or replace the heating element on an electric heater. Corrosion, rust, or sediment in the tank — more common in areas with hard water — must be cleaned out for your tank to function properly, and that requires an expert.
A leaking water heater, however, cannot be repaired. It’s done for, and it must be replaced.
Leaky Pipes
Leaky pipes are typically the first thing people think of when it comes to the question of whether to call a plumber. It could be a leaking toilet pipe, a leaking pipe under a sink or just about any other pipe in your home. Leaky pipes, like dripping faucets, create not only enormous water waste but also damage to the home. Water rots wood, causes metal to rust and pools up to form breeding grounds for both bacteria and insects that transmit disease.
Leaky pipes and other fixtures may need replacing. Even the highest-quality items wear out over time. If the culprit is a fixture, it could be so old that finding parts for it will be impossible — at which point it’s better to replace it. Pipes, whether metal or PVC, can be replaced a lot easier than an entire system. A professional plumber will not only be able to advise you on the best course of action, but also to perform the repair or repairs on everything from a leaking pipe under the sink to signs of a near-gusher behind the hallway drywall.
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5 Typical Household Plumbing Issues as well as How You Can Fix Them
As a property owner, you will certainly run into several different plumbing troubles that sometimes make a hassle. Doing the repairs yourselves on these straightforward plumbing problems can conserve you lots of cash.
Slow Draining Sink
You can use a plumbing device for angling out the particles. From there, you can use a store-bought drain cleaner to cleanse the lines.
Slow-moving Tub Drain
This is one more pesky problem since the bathtub is one of the most secondhand fixtures in your shower room. Just like the sink drainpipe, hair, soap scum, dead skin cells, and also other cruds pool in the drainpipe usually. You should pop open the drain cover as well as make use of a bathtub claw to remove the debris. Do this ASAP before the drain congests entirely. After utilizing the claw, you can put drainpipe cleaner to refresh the drain lines.
Low Water Pressure
Is someone from your house grumbling that there's low water pressure from the sink? First, inspect if this issue impacts both the cold and also hot water lines. The trouble is the aerator within the sink which may have a whole lot of sedimentation resulting in low water pressure if of course. This is very easy to fix as you just require to take it out and scrub away the mineral deposits.
Running Toilet
You might have experienced a running toilet, which can be quite frustrating because the tank will not fill. At the same time, leaving it alone equates to drainage and also surging up your water costs. For beginners, find out what's causing it to run. You might require to change any one of the complying with commode mechanisms:
Commode fill shutoff
Dripping flush valve
Bathroom flapper
Malfunctioning Garbage Disposal System
This irritating trouble is also high on the list of usual plumbing problems. Your device will certainly come with a nifty secret to unjam your equipment. But if you lose it, you will require an Allen wrench to repair the trouble. You need to go under the sink and also search for the place where you can insert the secret. Utilize your wrench to transform the equipment to release the motor as soon as you detect it. When functioning on your trash disposal system to protect against horrible crashes, do not forget to turn off the system as well as cut the circuit breaker.
You may even end up saving cash in the lengthy run because you can relax guaranteed that your simple plumbing trouble will not escalate. Simply make certain you call a reliable firm with licenses as well as certifications due to the fact that you will be welcoming strangers in your house.
As a house owner, you will experience many various plumbing issues that occasionally make a nuisance. Some plumbing concerns are much more common as well as can be easily dealt with. Doing the repairs yourselves on these straightforward plumbing issues can conserve you heaps of cash. You can use a plumbing tool for angling out the debris. You may also finish up saving money in the long run because you can relax ensured that your basic plumbing trouble will certainly not intensify.
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