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There are some plumbing issues that don’t require you to call an Arlington, TX plumber. For example, if the toilet is clogged and a plunger is able to dislodge the superficial clog. However, there are a lot of other instances that may not afford you as much latitude. Trying to figure out if you can fix something on your own or if you need the expertise of a plumbing contractor?

Usually, if you are debating the matter this is a clear sign that a professional is the best choice. After all, if you knew how to fix it then you would already be doing it. Your plumbing system is an integral part of your home and the health of your family, so you need to take good care of it. Incorrectly dealing with a plumbing issue can oftentimes end up costing you more to fix than if you had just called a professional in Arlington, TX in the first place. If you are still debating whether you need a plumbing contractor or not, here are a few of the times when you definitely need to call for professional help.

Dripping Faucets

This is one area where homeowners tend to look the other way, but unless you like throwing money down the drain, you really shouldn’t. Believe it or not, a dripping faucet could be costing you money out of your pocket. On average, a slow drip will end up costing you about $20 per year, but a faster drip could cost you as much as $200 a year. At this point not only is the dripping faucet a nuisance, but it is expensive to just ignore.

A lot of dripping faucets are easy to fix. You can first try to change the washer because if the fixture is old there is a good chance that it has corroded. If this doesn’t do the trick, then it is time to call a plumber. They will thoroughly examine the faucet and evaluate the issue which may be complex or point to the need for a new faucet. Water is expensive and in some states out west, there are even water shortages, don’t contribute to the issue by literally wasting it.

Leaking Pipes

Another easy way you may be wasting water is via leaking pipes. However, a lot of time people don’t even notice the leak at first. What they do notice is that their water bill keeps inching higher and higher without any visible explanation. If you notice your water bill incrementally growing then there is a good chance that you have a hidden leak somewhere.

You can start by looking along your exposed piping to see if you can find any obvious signs of leaking which include mold, water damage, or actual moisture. Even if the leak is small, it can still be wasteful as demonstrated by the dripping faucet. However, more importantly, a leak can lead to serious water damage in your drywall or ceilings depending on where it is.

If the leak is ignored for too long it also will lead to the development of mold and bacteria which can cause respiratory issues for the people who live in your home. Some people even have serious allergic reactions to mold or develop asthma as the result of living in a home with mold. For this reason, a leaking pipe should always require a call to a plumber. Keep in mind that if the pressure increases that leak could become a burst pipe which magnifies all of the above-mentioned issues and turns it into a situation that will require an emergency plumber.

A lot of people try to fix a leaky pipe with flex tape, fitting compounds, or joint fillers, but remember that the potential for a leaking pipe to burst is always there. While a quick-fix may be tempting, it is only a band-aid on a potentially horrible situation, so make sure if you place a band-aid on the pipe you still schedule a repair visit with your local Arlington, TX plumber.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains are something that every homeowner has to deal with at some point, and the internet offers dozens of solutions- some of which are better than others. However, sometimes regardless of how much baking soda and vinegar you dump down the drain or how hard to work the plunger, a stubborn clog will not give way. This is why you should always call a professional to remedy a clogged drain. The truth is that most of these home remedies will help free the clog up enough for water to drain, but in reality, they probably only etched away a bit of the obstruction, which means given enough time the debris will build up and you will have a second clog. Instead of dealing with clogs that never seem to stop (because you are never truly clearing them), it makes more sense to call a plumber and get it taken care of properly from the start.

There are a lot of causes for drain clogs, but most stem from soap or grease buildup, a foreign item that has become stuck in the line somewhere (very common in homes with children), or sewage wastes. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, you need to know what is causing the clog so it can be properly removed and so that you can prevent the clog from occurring again.

After paying a plumber to clean out the drain it would be nice if you could avoid doing the same thing again within the year. A plumber in Arlington, TX can do a camera line inspection and let you know what the issue was to determine if it is a one-time problem or something larger that needs to be addressed. Sometimes proactive drain cleaning is the best way to prevent a clog from occurring again. Sometimes a