In the US, the average cost to hire a plumber is $45 to $150 an hour. Seeing as these rates can take a fair amount out of your bank account, it’s best to nip problems in the bud before they grow to be huge repair jobs that take hours to fix.
If you need some plumbing help, not to worry; we’ve got you covered! Here’s a list of the 10 most common plumbing problems.
1. Dripping Faucet
Perhaps that “drip drip drip” sound is driving you crazy. Not only that, but it’s wasting water and running up your utility bill.
A dripping faucet is a sign of a worn-out washer, which you may be able to replace yourself. However, plumbers have the proper tools to replace it, which means it’ll be a quicker and easier job for them to do.
Plus, the valve seat may be worn out as well, which is a more complicated fix. It’s best to leave this job to an expert plumber.
2. Toilet That Keeps Running
You flush the toilet, and it does its job. But the water just keeps running and running. You jiggle the handle to see if that’ll stop it, but to no avail.
Your toilet’s flapper valve may not be fitting correctly anymore, or it might be an imbalanced float or a loose fill tube. Whatever it is, water is getting through behind the scenes.
You can try replacing all three of these things. But if your toilet still keeps running, then it may be sediment or a silent leak. A plumber can detect your toilet problems and repair them in an instant.
3. Clogged Toilet
Maybe instead of running, your toilet’s clogged instead. You might go to flush the toilet and it seems like everything’s going down okay. But then the bowl fills out, and worst-case scenario, it starts overfilling and flooding your bathroom with contaminated water!
In this case, it’ll do you good to call a plumber straight away. They’ll have the proper tools to get rid of whatever is clogging your toilet and make it debris-free once again.
4. Slow Draining Sink
Is your sink a bit lazy, draining barely any water after you’ve used it? This may be a sign of a clog.
Try using your plunger on it or running some drain cleaner through it to see if that solves the problem. Or try to manually locate the clog source and get it out. But if you find yourself constantly resorting to these solutions, then it’s time to call a pro plumber.
5. Low Water Pressure
The most annoying thing that could happen when you jump into the shower is the water barely comes out at a trickle. Or when you go to wash your dishes and you just get a few drops of water coming out.
Sure, it may be a problem that the municipality has to fix with their water supply. But a more likely culprit is sediment or other deposits in your faucet aerators.
Over time, these things build up on the aerators, which can cause clogging. A simple fix is to unscrew the aerators and soak them in vinegar overnight.
If you still have low water pressure after trying that, it may be a leak in your pipes. Definitely call a plumber if you still can’t get good water pressure after trying this fix.
6. Clogged Bathroom Drains
If you and your family have lots of hair, then this may be a frequent issue. You can run some baking soda and vinegar to dissolve the buildup of products, or try and fish out the clumps of hair.
But you should get a plumber to come to clear the clog if all your efforts are fruitless. Then, make sure to use a drain guard so less hair travels into your pipes.
7. Leaking Pipes
Notice a puddle of water under your pipes? Then you’ve got a problem on your hands.
You can get joint fillers, fitting compounds, or leak tape from your hardware store, but this fix is only temporary. After you’ve plugged up the leak, you’ll need a professional to replace either the pipes or the fittings.
8. Clogged Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are handy for grinding up any leftover food that gets through, but as expected, they do get clogged sometimes. Whether it’s a rogue piece of silverware or food waste that’s too tough to grind, you may find your garbage disposal sounding a bit sad.
If hitting the reset button doesn’t work, then you’ll need an expert plumber to come to free up your clog.
9. Broken Water Heater
A cold shower is never fun unless you’re in the throes of a heatwave. Even then, it’d be nice to get some warm water once in a while.
At the first sign of a broken water heater, you should call a nearby plumber to repair it. Not only that, but you need to keep up with regular maintenance so this doesn’t happen again.
10. Backed-up Sewer System
You can blame each other or the dog, but that nasty smell isn’t actually coming from any of you. That’s right: you have a backed-up sewer system.
A plumber can come to your property to find out where the source is. Once you’ve figured that out, then it may not be your responsibility to get it fixed.
For example, if the source is outside under a public street, then the water company is responsible for resolving the issue. Because of this, you should call the water company first to see if their fault in the first place.
Get Prompt Plumbing Help
If your house has any of the above issues, then you should get prompt plumbing help. Without timely assistance from a plumbing expert, your problems can become bigger, not to mention more expensive too.
So if you notice anything wrong with your home’s plumbing, don’t wait another second. Get in touch with a licensed, bonded, and insured plumber today.
