Your home or business should be a peaceful abode for you and yours, but it won’t stay that way for long if you have plumbing problems.
Issues with your pipes may not be evident from your vantage point, but behind the scenes there may be trouble brewing.
How Do You Know If Your Plumbing Is Bad? 10 Signs
In this article, we’re going to go over some signs that may hint at plumbing problems at your home or business.
Some common plumbing issues may be easy enough that the homeowner can fix them. Meanwhile, other more serious problems will need a professional to assess and fix it.
Let’s get into some of the top signs that you have a plumbing problem.
Leaky Faucet
If you hear your faucet leaking or if you have a constant drip, that’s an indication that you have a cracked pipe or that a fixture needs a gasket.
The reason why a leaking faucet could spell big trouble is because of the possibility that mold could grow under a sink or between the walls.
Constantly Running Toilet
If your toilet continues to run, that’s a major sign that you may have water pressure problems tied to your commode. There could also be an issue with the value that connects to your tank.
If you let your toilet run for days and days, you could also be wasting a lot of water — and that costs you money.
Jammed Garbage Disposal
One of the common problems with a garbage disposal is that it will stop working after a while. This could be due to an old garbage disposal, but it may also be because something was inserted down there that shouldn’t have been.
Whatever the cause, you should fix a jammed garbage disposal quickly, especially if you may have spoiled or decaying food in the sick.
Sink Drains Slowly
Nothing is worse than filling your basin up with water and have to watch it slowly dissipate because of some drainage issues.
A slow-draining sink is a tell-tale sign that your pipe is clogged at one point or another.
Low Water Pressure
If you turn on your water and find that the pressure is reduced, that’s never a good sign. The first thing you need to check out is whether another faucet or fixture is using the water that would normally be deployed through the faucet you’ve intended.
Low water pressure could be a big sign that you have a burst pipe, so it’s not an issue that you can take lightly.
Clogged Drain
A clogged drain indicates that a substance, or dirt, or any other foreign object is impeding the free flow of water to your plumbing infrastructure.
Drains are the main arteries to clear out wastewater in your home or business. If you’re experiencing this problem, you need to see how you can unclog the drain or call a professional.
Failing Water Heater
A water heater that is going out may take some time to properly diagnose, but it’s an issue you want to stay on top of. One big sign that your water heater is failing is when your hot water will only get warm or there’s no rise in temperature at all.
If you don’t address the water heater when it’s acting up, you’re in store for some big issues at an inopportune time.
Pipe Rust Or Corrosion
The typical sign of rusted or corroded pipes is brown water. The harm in drinking or bathing in this type of water is that it may be contaminated with metals or other substances that pose health issues.
If you have an older home, you may want to get the pipes examined to see how rusted or corroded they are.
Stained Walls And Ceilings
The brown marks that may appear on your wall or ceiling isn’t some camouflage trick your home is pulling. Those are tell-tale signs that you may have a leak somewhere in your plumbing pipes.
Stains on the walls and ceilings are often the last sign that you may have had a long-lasting problem with water in your home. If this happens where you live, make sure you look out for mold, which may grow in damp or water-stained places unseen to the eye.
Foul Smells
Do you smell something foul every time you flush the toilet? This could indicate a crack in a sewer pipe or faulty sump pump.
If you have issues with your sewer pipe, you’re going to smell it before you see it. Don’t hesitate to inspect the problem as best you can.
When To Call A Plumbing Professional
A homeowner should do what they can to see if they can ascertain where the problem is coming from, but they may not be familiar with how to fix the issue.
This is when you need to call a plumbing professional who can properly diagnose the problem and apply a solution in a timely manner.
The advantage of hiring a plumbing professional is that you can have peace of mind that the problem will be rectified to your satisfaction. You also typically will get the assurance of a limited warranty for any parts that may have to be purchased.