Professional plumbers are used to getting called to homes for plumbing-related emergencies. However, some common emergency plumbing calls are more frequent than others.
Your Greensboro, NC home deserves only the best plumbing care, so make sure that you’re familiar with these common emergency plumbing issues so that you’re prepared when you run into one of these situations.
#1: Broken or Burst Pipes
Although a burst or broken pipe may not initially be noticeable, they can cause costly damage throughout your home quite quickly.
Luckily, there are obvious symptoms of a burst pipe that homeowners can look out for on a regular basis, including a higher than average water bill, unexpected puddles of water, and pipes that have suddenly lost water pressure.
Upon discovering any of these signs of a burst pipe, it’s important to immediately contact a plumbing professional to find the source of the issue and repair.
#2: Blocked Drains
Over time, household pipes are prone to develop a buildup of grime, soap scum, and other debris that can cause an obstruction inside the drain.
When this occurs, the drains become blocked and show some obvious signs, including:
- A strong odor of sulfur coming from the drain.
- Overflowing plumbing fixtures.
- A slow draining bathroom or kitchen sink.
For many homeowners, the first attempt to fix the problem is to use commercial chemical drain cleaner. However, these traditional options are only short-term solutions to a long-term problem. A drain cleaning specialist has the plumbing technology, and skills needed to completely remove the blockage and any reside safely and effectively.
#3: Overflowing Toilets
Discovering a toilet that is overflowing is a hassle for most homeowners. Not only do they cause a mess, but also they can lead to further plumbing-related issues, like an obstructed main sewer line.
Thankfully, there are specific precautions that can be taken daily to avoid any major obstruction from forming and causing your toilet to overflow, including:
- Only flush items that are meant to be flushed like bathroom waste. When flushing these items, make sure that there is not too much substance that needs to be flushed.
- Dispose of non-flushable items such as cotton swabs, dental floss, and feminine hygiene products in trash cans, as they can create a blockage in the toilet and cause it to overflow.
- Attend to small children when they are in the bathroom, as some are prone to experiment with flushing non-flushable items like shampoo bottles and toothbrushes down the toilet.
If you come across an overflowing toilet, do not try to remove the obstruction unless it is easy to do so, as this can create a larger problem down a pipe and become costlier to fix.
#4: Leaky Fixtures
Although being a homeowner often means attempting to deal with “character-adding” features like leaky pipes or plumbing fixtures, it’s important to note that these issues can create long-lasting damage when not addressed.
If you find that a plumbing fixture has a recurring leak, ensure that you notify a plumbing professional. Not only will they help you find the root cause of the issue, but also they’ll make sure that the leak is addressed and the source is repaired or replaced as needed.
The next time you come across a plumbing-related emergency in your Greensboro, NC home, you’ll know the appropriate next steps to take to maintain a healthy and effective plumbing system.