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The plumbing system in your Granbury, TX, home is one of its most important systems. Your plumbing system allows clean water to come into the home and wastewater to be removed from the home. Your plumbing system is also necessary for many of your appliances to function properly. Most homeowners don’t think much about their plumbing system until something goes wrong.

Some plumbing issues are minor, but if they aren’t repaired soon, they can result in major problems. If you are experiencing any plumbing issues, you should call a licensed plumber immediately.

Many homeowners today are trying to make home repairs DIY projects. While this is great for some repairs, most plumbing repairs should be left to a licensed professional.

#1 Leaking Faucets

A leaky faucet may seem like a minor issue. After the faucet has been leaking for a couple of days, you will get used to the sound to the point where you don’t notice it anymore. While it may be easy to ignore a leaky faucet, you shouldn’t. If the faucet is leaking, there is something wrong, and it could become a major issue soon. Allowing your faucet to leak will also waste plenty of water. Over the course of a year, a leaky faucet can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water, which is the equivalent of 180 showers. Not only is wasting water bad for the environment, but it can also cause your water bill to increase greatly.

If the faucet in your Granbury, TX home starts leaking, you should call a licensed plumber as soon as the problem starts.

#2 Running Toilet

A running toilet will wastewater the same way that a leaky faucet can. A running toilet can waste over a gallon of water per hour, which can equal over 26 gallons of water per day. Your toilet should only run after your flush and until the tank is full. If it continues to run, there could be an issue with the plunger in the tank. The problem could also be with the tank’s seal.

If your toilet continues running a few minutes after you flush, you should call a licensed professional immediately. Having the issue repaired right away will prevent you from wasting many gallons of water each day.

#3 Slow Or Clogged Drains

There is nothing more annoying than when water goes down the drain slowly or doesn’t go down at all. These issues can make even the simplest household tasks difficult or impossible.

No matter how careful you are about what you put down the drain, clogs can occur. Soap scum, grease, food, and debris can build up inside the pipes, creating a clog. Over time, the clog will get bigger and bigger until the water cannot go down the drain at all.

Many homeowners will try to fix the problem themselves. Some will purchase a liquid drain cleaner, which is a mistake. These products aren’t always effective. If the drain is completely clogged, the drain cleaner won’t be able to get into the drain to remove the clog. Also, liquid drain cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can cause damage to the inside of the pipes. Some homeowners will buy a drain snake, hoping to remove the clog. If you don’t know what you are doing when it comes to snaking a drain, you could end up puncturing the pipes, creating an even bigger issue.

If you have a slow or clogged drain, you should call a licensed plumber. A professional will have the knowledge and experience to remove the clog safely and completely.

Your plumber can perform a drain cleaning service, which will remove the entire clog and any other debris or grime that has been building up inside the pipes for years. If the professional wants to find the source of the leak, they can send a camera down the drain to figure out where the clog is located so that it can be removed.

#4 Noisy Drains

When water goes down the drain, it should do so quietly. If you hear a gurgling sound when the water goes down the drain, it means that a major problem is ready to occur. If there is a clog in the drain, the water will need to change directions to find another way to get down the drain. When this happens, it causes a gurgling sound. If you allow the problem to persist, soon, your drain will be completely clogged, and the water won’t go down at all.

When you call a plumber, they will remove the clog so that the water can get down the drain using the correct path, which will quiet your drains.

#5 Poor Water Pressure

If you notice that the water pressure in your Granbury, TX, home is not what it typically is, you should call a plumber. Poor water pressure could be due to a clog in the faucet’s aerator. It could also be something more serious like a leak in the waterline, causing flooding behind the wall. If this happens, the water will cause structural damage to your home and can promote mold growth. You should call a plumber as soon as you discover that you have poor water pressure.

#6 Rusty Water

If you turn on the faucet and the water comes out brown, you have rust in your water. It isn’t safe to drink, cook with, or bathe in rusty water; therefore, you should immediately call a licensed professional.

If just the hot water comes out rusty, the problem likely lies within your water heater. If the hot and cold water comes out rusty, it is a sign that the inside of your pipes have corroded and need to be replaced.

As soon as you discover that the water coming from your faucets is brown, you should call a licensed plumber. Until you do, your water won’t be safe for use.

#7 Water Heater Issues

The water heater in your Granbury, TX, home is one of its most important appliances. If your water heater isn’t functioning properly, you won’t be able to shower, wash your hands, wash your clothes, do dishes, and complete many simple household tasks. Common water heater issues include:

• Not hot water: If you have no hot water at all or if the water isn’t getting as hot as it should, there could be an issue with the thermostat. If the thermostat isn’t functioning properly, the water heater won’t know how much to heat the water. The issue could also be a broken heating element, which would prevent the water from heating up.

• Running out of hot water faster than usual: If you are running out of hot water faster than usual, you should first consider your living situation. If a new member of the family has entered the home, your hot water usage will increase. If your water heater isn’t large enough for your family’s hot water needs, you will quickly run out of hot water. If this happens, you will need to have a larger water heater installed. You can also go with a tankless water heater, which provides hot water on demand, and you won’t need to worry about running out of hot water ever again. If no new family members moved into the home, one of the water heater’s heating elements could be faulty. Only half of the tank will stay hot when this happens, causing you to run out of hot water faster than usual.

• Rusty hot water: If your hot water is coming out rusty, there is likely sediment buildup inside the tank. When the sediment loosens up, it will come out in the hot water, causing it to be rusty.

• Strange sounds coming from the water heater: If you hear a clanging sound coming from your water heater, there are large pieces of sediment clanging around inside. If you allow the problem to persist, the sediment can cause damage to the inside of the water heater, causing it to leak. This can create a major flood risk.

• Puddles or moisture around the water heater: If there is moisture or puddles around the water heater, it is an emergency situation. The moisture could be due to a broken or leaky hose, which can promote mold growth. If there are puddles around the water heater, it could have a leak. This can cause mold growth, structural damage to the home, and is a serious flood risk.

If your heater is experiencing any of the issues listed above, you should immediately call a licensed plumber. It isn’t uncommon for a minor water heater issue to turn into something major if it goes ignored. A licensed plumber can come to your home and inspect the water heater. When they figure out what is wrong, the plumber will make the necessary repairs. Because many water heater issues are considered emergencies, you should call a licensed professional as soon as you notice the issue.

#8 Water Main or Water Line Damage

Your Granbury, TX home’s plumbing system is made up of two parts, the water supply, and the drain waste systems. The water main brings the water into the house from outdoors, and the water lines deliver the water to the sinks, tub, and toilet. If there is something wrong with the water main or a water line, you should call a licensed plumber immediately. Any water main or water line issues are considered an emergency situation. There are a few signs that you have an issue with the water main or line. These include:

• Rusty or dirty water: If the water main breaks, dirt from underground can get into the water, contaminating your water supply. This is a serious problem.

• Unusually high water bills: There are several issues that can cause your water bill to increase, and a water line leak could be the cause. If there is water leaking behind the walls, you may not even see it. Not only will a leak like this cause your water bill to increase, but it will also cause structural damage and promote mold growth at the place where the water is pooling.

• Puddles in the front yard: If there are puddles in the yard and it hasn’t recently rained, you could have a pipe leaking underground. This is a major issue that should be looked at immediately by a licensed plumber.

• Wet spots on the floors, walls, or ceilings: If you notice that there are water spots in your home, you could have a water main leak. The water spots are signs of serious water damage; therefore, you should call a licensed plumber immediately.

• Low water pressure: As mentioned earlier, poor water pressure could be a sign that you have a leak in the water main or water line. This is an emergency situation, and you should call a licensed plumber immediately.

• Hearing running water: If you hear running water in your home and the faucet isn’t running, you should call a licensed plumber immediately. If there is a hidden water line leak somewhere in the home, it is a major cause for concern. Allowing the problem to persist can waste a great deal of water and can cause a major flood behind the walls. This is a situation where you would need to call an emergency plumber.

If you are experiencing any plumbing issues in your Granbury, TX home, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth. We have been serving residential and commercial customers in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas since 1998. Each of our plumbers are highly trained and licensed and are the best in the business.

We understand that plumbing emergencies can occur at any time of the day or night. Your plumbing system doesn’t understand that it is the middle of the night, a weekend, or a holiday. Because of this, we provide emergency service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To schedule an appointment with a plumber at Benjamin Franklin of Fort Worth, give us a call today.