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When you become a homeowner, you have responsibilities you didn’t have when you were renting. Things your landlord took care of, such as yard work and home repairs, are now your responsibility. If any part of your plumbing system stops functioning correctly or fails, you can’t pick up the phone and call the landlord. As the homeowner, it’s up to you to detect issues and deal with them yourself.

Licensed plumbers undergo thousands of hours of training and apprenticeship to make plumbing repairs. Unless you’re a licensed plumber, DIY plumbing repairs aren’t recommended. Attempting to fix a plumbing problem without the necessary training can result in further damage and a more expensive repair bill.

If the plumbing system in your Arlington, TX home experiences any of the following issues, it’s best to leave the job to a licensed plumber to ensure the problem is diagnosed and repaired correctly.

Drain Issues

Slow and clogged drains are one of the most common calls a plumbing company receives. As careful as you are with what you put down the drains in your home, you can prevent debris such as food, grease, hair, and soap scum from getting down the drain, which builds up in the drain, resulting in a clog.

Slow drains indicate a small clog in the drain, making it challenging for the water to drain quickly. This can be frustrating when you do something that requires the water to run, like taking a shower. By the time you finish taking a shower, you’ll find yourself standing in several inches of water that can take a while to drain.

If the water doesn’t drain at all, it indicates a significant clog in the drain, preventing the water from draining at all, and you can use the sink or tub until the clog is removed.

Many homeowners will attempt a DIY repair with a liquid drain cleaner. A drain cleaner may break the clog up a bit to allow the water to drain; however, the clog’s size will increase over time, and it won’t be long until the drains are clogged again. Also, liquid drain cleaners contain harsh chemicals designed to break up clogs and can do damage to the pipes.

A licensed professional has the knowledge and experience to remove a clog safely. They can use a drain camera to see what’s clogging the drain and the clog’s location to ensure they remove the entire clog, preventing drain issues in the future. The sooner you call a plumber, the sooner the water will flow down the drains quickly.

Multiple Drain Clogs

If the water drains slowly in every sink or tub in your Arlington, TX home, it’s unlikely that every single drain clogged simultaneously. Multiple drain clogs often indicate a clog in the sewer line, and you’ll need to call a licensed professional.

Grease oil and fat start as a liquid when entering the severe line and can harden and get lodged in the lines, and traps debris, causing the water to drain slowly or not at all in every sink or tub in your home.

A plumber can use a snake or a hydro-jet to remove the clog in the sewer line to ensure the water drains properly throughout the house.

Leaks

Leaks are another common call for a plumber. A leak in the plumbing in your Arlington, TX home will cause serious issues in your home, such as water damage, mold growth and high water bills.

Some leaks are easy to detect, such as leaks under the sink. When you open the vanity or kitchen cabinet, you’ll see standing water, and should call a plumber right away.

Leaks behind the wall can be more challenging to detect, and often leave small water spots on the wall or ceiling, depending on the location’s clog. When a pipe under the house leaks, the leak can cause puddles in the yard, a warm basement floor, and if the pipe has been leaking for a long time, it can cause damage to your home’s foundation. In some cases, the leak won’t show any visible signs at first, and the only sign will be an increase in your water bills.

A licensed plumbing professional can use leak detection equipment to find the leak quickly to make the necessary repair. Leaks are considered emergencies due to the damage that can occur, and it’s best to call a plumber as soon as you suspect there’s a leak in the pipes.

Water Heater Issues

We all use hot water multiple times a day, and you rely on hot water for many daily household activities, such as showering, cooking and cleaning. Although the water heater in your Arlington, TX home is technically an appliance, it’s also essential for your plumbing system.

The water is cold when it comes into your home, and fills the water heater, where it is heated and stored until you need it. If there’s an issue with the water heater, the temperature and safety of the water will be affected.

Your water heater is a complex appliance, and DIY repairs aren’t recommended. Just one mistake during the repair process can cause further damage, and if the water heater has a warranty, the DIY repair will void it.

If the water heater in your Arlington, TX home experiences any of the following issues, it’s best to call a licensed plumber right away.

• No hot water: A lack of hot water can be due to a couple of different problems. The most common cause is a faulty heating element. If the heating element isn’t doing its job, the water won’t heat up in the tank, and you’ll have cold water coming from the hot water tap. A licensed professional can inspect the unit to determine the best way to resolve the problem.
  The issue could also be due to the water heater’s age. Tank water heaters last for 8 to 12 years, and if your water heater is nearing the end of its lifespan, it won’t heat the water, and the plumber can replace it.
• Lukewarm water: Check the thermostat if the water doesn’t get hotter than lukewarm. The EPA recommends setting the thermostat to 120 to 140 degrees, which is hot enough, and not too hot that the water can scald you.
  If the thermostat is set correctly, it’s time to call a plumbing expert. This problem can occur if the thermostat is broken. If your water heater has two heating elements, one may have failed and the other heating element won’t have enough power to heat the entire tank to the desired temperature. This issue can also occur if the unit is old and can no longer function efficiently.
  A licensed professional can inspect the water heater to find the source of the problem to resolve it as quickly as possible.
• You run out of hot water often: It isn’t uncommon to run out of hot water every once in a while when using too much water in a short period of time. However, if you run out of hot water frequently, there are two possible causes. The first is your family’s water demand. If someone new recently moved into your home, your hot water demand will increase, and your existing water heater may not be large enough to handle the demand. A licensed professional can install a larger water tank or tankless model that provides hot water on demand if this is the problem.
  If there have been changes in your household, sediment could be the cause. Over time, large pieces of sediment can build up in the tank and will take up space meant for water storage, causing it to run out of hot water quickly. A licensed professional will attempt to flush the sediment, but you’ll need to replace the water heater if they can’t.
• Poor hot water pressure: Reduced water pressure occurs when sediment clogs the waterline. A plumber can clear the waterline; however, you’ll need to replace the unit if they can’t flush the sediment. If you don’t, the waterline continues to clog, and the plumbing repair bills will start to add up; therefore, a replacement is the best option.
• Discolored hot water: If the hot water is rust-colored, sediment in the tank is likely contaminating the water. If the unit is over ten years old, the inside of the tank could be breaking down, causing sediment and tiny pieces of metal to contaminate the water.
  A licensed professional can inspect the unit to find the cause of the problem and determine the best solution.
• Banging sound: A banging sound coming from the water heater indicates large pieces of sediment in the tank that could crack the tank, causing a flood if you don’t call a plumbing company right away.
• Water pooling; Water pooling indicates a crack in the unit, which could cause 50+ gallons of water to flood your home. This is an emergency, and you should call a plumber immediately.

Because you need to water multiple times a day, it’s best to call a problem as soon as an issue arises.

Discolored Water

When you run the water in your Arlington, TX home, you expect it to be clean and clear. If the water is brown or rust-colored, you should call a licensed plumbing professional right away.

If only the hot water is discolored, the problem lies with the water heater. If the hot and cold water are discolored, the problem is likely due to a rusty, corroded pipe.

A licensed professional can inspect the plumbing system to find the pipes that have corroded so they can be replaced.

It’s unsafe to use contaminated water; therefore, it’s best to avoid using it until the problem is resolved. If you have to use the water, it’s best to boil it first.

Toilet Clogs

Toilet clogs are relatively common, and occur if you flush too much toilet paper and waste that can’t be flushed. Clogs can also occur if something is flushed that shouldn’t have been, such as paper towels, baby wipes, a washcloth, or a child’s toy.

In many cases, you can use a plunger to break the clog enough that the toilet will flush. The plunger will be ineffective if the clog is too large, solid, or located too far down the drainpipe, and you’ll need to hire a licensed plumber.

A licensed professional can remove the clog safely without causing damage to the toilet or drain pipe. If the clog is located far down the drainpipe, the plumber can remove the toilet to reach the clog.

It’s best to hire a licensed professional as soon as the toilet becomes clogged, because you can’t use the toilet until the clog is removed. This is a frustrating issue, and if you only have one bathroom in your Arlington, TX home, a clogged toilet is a serious problem that will require a call to an emergency plumber.

Why Choose Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Of Fort Worth?

If there’s a problem with your plumbing system and you need to hire a plumber, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth. We are a full-service plumbing company, serving customers in the area for years.

Our plumbers are professionally trained and have the knowledge and experience to handle any plumbing issue, whether it’s something simple or more complex.

We understand your time is valuable, and unlike other plumbing companies in the area, we guarantee our team will be on time. If the plumber is late, you will be paid $5 for every minute until they arrive.

We have an excellent reputation in the community and have a 5-star rating on Google. In addition, Home Advisor lists us an Elite and Top-Rated service, and we have over 100 reviews on the website.

We understand that plumbing issues arise at the most inconvenient times and that some problems can’t wait until our regular business hours, so we provide emergency plumbing service. If you have a problem that can’t wait, we’ll do our best to get a licensed plumber to your home as quickly as possible.

Don’t gamble by attempting a DIY repair if you have a plumbing problem. Instead, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth a call or book online.

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