Plumbing emergencies can cause major headaches and property damage if you don’t know what to do about them, but they’re not too difficult to handle if you know what you’re doing and can get the right help. According to Home Advisor the average cost for a plumber is $175 to $480. A small price to prevent tens of thousands of dollars in damages if something major happens. To make sure your plumbing stays in good shape for years to come, you’ll want to call in the professionals when you start experiencing any of these seven signs that you have a plumbing emergency on your hands.
Luckily, we’ll always have a West Hartford emergency plumber on-call to deal with these plumbing emergencies. All information in this article is provided by our experts at West Hartford Plumbers.
1. Is It Leaking?
If your pipes are leaking, call a plumber right away. A leaking pipe can cause serious damage to your home and personal belongings if left unchecked for too long. Not only that, but water leaks can cause mold or mildew growth inside your walls or ceilings, causing health issues over time. If you see any signs of flooding—even very small amounts—have a professional handle it right away.
2. Has Water Pressure Decreased?
Run your water at full blast in several locations around your home, including in kitchens and bathrooms. If you notice any areas where pressure is lower than normal, contact a plumber right away. This might mean that you have larger issues with leaking pipes or small cracks in your plumbing system that will need to be taken care of quickly before more extensive damage occurs.
Not all plumbing issues are emergencies, but water pressure that is significantly lower than normal should be taken care of quickly. If you notice areas where your pressure is low, let a professional plumber know right away.
3. Is There Water Behind Walls/Ceilings?
If you notice water coming through your ceiling, you’re likely dealing with one of two issues: cracked or damaged pipes or leaking fixtures.
If water is coming from your ceiling, it’s time to call a plumber. More often than not, a cracked or damaged pipe is behind these leaks and if you continue to ignore them, they will only get worse. Fixing them as soon as possible could prevent structural damage and long-term water damage in your home.
If you smell sewer gas or notice wet spots on your floors or ceilings, your sewer line might be leaking sewage into your walls or ceilings. This is a very serious problem and one that should not be ignored. Sewer leaks can damage your home’s foundation and can cause mold to form in just hours—that’s why it’s critical that you get them taken care of as soon as possible.
4. Has Water Discolored?
One of the most common indicators that you may have an issue with your plumbing is that your water has turned brown or yellow. Don’t ignore discolored water coming from faucets, tubs, showers, and toilets. This may be due to rust in pipes or even minerals in your water supply. Your best bet is usually to contact a plumber who can inspect what’s going on under your sinks and determine whether you need repairs or if it can wait until later.
5. Unusual Noises
Do you hear strange noises coming from your plumbing when no one is using water? This can be an indication of serious problems, including worn-out parts or weak seals. Although you might not notice these signs at first, it’s important to have them addressed immediately—before they lead to more serious issues.
A toilet that constantly runs and doesn’t flush properly may mean your tank needs to be repaired; worn hinges on faucets could point toward poor sealant; and loose connections between piping and fixtures could indicate that something isn’t secured correctly.
Identifying plumbing issues early can save you time, money, and aggravation in future repairs—or costly replacement down the line. When you notice strange noises coming from your plumbing system, call professional plumbers who can analyze problems quickly and provide expert advice about how to fix them (and whether it makes sense to do so).
6. Slow Drainage
A slow-draining sink can be incredibly annoying and is often an indication of something more serious. Leaky pipes, clogs, sewer lines and other plumbing problems can all cause your sink or tub to drain slowly—although some of these problems may just be inconvenient rather than urgent. It’s important to figure out what’s causing your drain problem so you know whether you need someone on hand immediately or if you have time to wait for repairs.
If you live in an apartment building, chances are you’re not on-call for any problems that occur in your building. If your drain is draining very slowly or it won’t drain at all, call your property manager and they can assess what’s causing the problem. If you do end up with a plumbing emergency (and one of these signs applies), contact an emergency plumber immediately.
7. Toilet Won’t Flush
If your toilet won’t flush and you haven’t been able to unclog it with a plunger, there could be an issue with your drainage pipe. First, turn off your water supply and wait for ten minutes or so before turning it back on. If that doesn’t solve the problem, you might have a clog forming in your drain pipe.
Your drain line is made up of small pipes that carry water away from your house. When one of these gets clogged, it can cause other pipes in your home to back up, or flush over. This means that you could have water pouring out of sinks, showers, tubs, etc. If you suspect your drain line might be clogged because something other than toilet paper is getting stuck in your toilet bowl, take action right away.
Know When to Call A Professional
If you notice that water is draining much slower than usual, if water is backing up in your tub or toilet, or if you have standing water in your sink or bathtub, you might be experiencing some plumbing issues. These are all signs of a plumbing emergency that need to be looked at by professionals asap and not ignored. If they aren’t attended to promptly, they can lead to more serious problems with both your pipes and your home. There’s no shame in admitting you can’t fix it yourself; but there will be hell to pay if things get worse before you do. So, know when to call a professional plumber; it could save you money and headaches.