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A lot of plumbing projects look easy until you are being sprayed in the face with water, the washers are long gone, and you don’t even know how you got to where you are. While plumbing may seem simple, it’s a complex system that requires certification and training, which is why you should always call a professional plumber instead of tackling a plumbing issue on your own in Arlington, TX. In fact, attempting to fix it and then failing usually ends up costing a lot more than if you had just contacted us in the first place.

The average American is estimated to use as much as 100 gallons of water every day. That means that a high amount of water constantly is passing through the walls and flooring of your home. One problem is all it takes to unleash a high amount of water on your home. Outside of obvious issues with flooding, it is also very possible that small leaks exist behind your walls. Some of the issues that you may attempt to fix may be caused by those same leaks that you can’t see. For this reason, it is best to always call a professional.

Still wary about calling a plumber? It’s okay, you are not alone. This is not a time when people want just anyone in their homes, and everyone wants to save money. However, a plumbing service can save you a lot of money if they troubleshoot an issue and quickly get to the bottom of it before it turns into a plumbing emergency. The following is a list of signs that you need a plumber right away. You should never attempt to handle these scenarios on your own. Take a look, and if your issue is on the list then give us a call so we can help.

You Wake Up to No Water

Regardless of what the cause is, waking up to no water in your home is always an emergency. The very first thing you should do is call your neighbors. If they don’t have any water then it is likely that something is wrong with your municipal water supply, and at this point, a plumbing company is not going to be able to help. However, if your neighbors do have water then there is something wrong with your home plumbing system, and it is time to seek out help from a professional Arlington, TX plumber.

Believe it or not, the EPA states that over 10% of all homes in the US have a leak that results in over 90 gallons of water. When you consider the fact that the average person uses 100 gallons of water, that almost doubles your daily water usage. There are a lot of reasons that leaks may be caused including backups, frozen pipes, and water main issues. If you don’t notice these leaks, they can get major suddenly halting the flow of water into your home completely. A break in the main water line is definitely a situation that can stop water from reaching your home, and can cause large problems with flooding near your foundation. For this reason, you don’t want to delay calling a plumber.

There Is No Hot Water in Your House

If three people in your home have taken a shower in a row and now there is no hot water, then it’s obvious that your water heater needs time to catch up with the high demand for hot water. However, if it is the morning and there is no hot water and you are the first one in the shower, then you have an issue that you will need a plumbing service to help you resolve. Similarly, if it takes more than half an hour for the water to warm up again after you run out then it is time to get some help from a professional.

In general, if it seems that your household is always out of hot water then you need to address the issue. A sudden lack of hot water in your home usually means that something is wrong with your water heater. Depending on what the issue is it may be fixable, or it may be a sign that you need to replace your water heater. Either way, you can’t live in a home without hot water so it is better to just immediately root out the problem.

With any luck it will just be your pilot out and needs to be relit, but it could signify a larger issue. Frequently running out of water or water not warming up quick enough is also usually a problem that is linked to the water heater. This is why you will need a plumber to come out and assess the situation as well.

Many times this occurs because your water heater tank is not sized properly for your household. A professional can take a look at the number of bathrooms in your house, the number of people living in your home, and then offer you a better idea of what water heater tank you need to keep up with hot water demands properly. They also will look at things like your water heater igniters, thermostat, fuses, or heating elements to ensure that everything is working correctly and that further repair is not necessary.

It Looks Like Your Water Heater Is Sweating

Speaking of water heaters, while you are thinking about it this is a great time to go downstairs and take a good look at your water heater. Whether you keep yours in a utility closet or a basement within your Arlington, TX home it can cause a lot of problems if it springs a leak. Leaks usually start small but gradually continue to grow until the water pressure gets too high and the tank bursts. It is not fun to come home from work and discover that your water heater has burst all over the lower level of your home.

With this in mind, taking a minute to inspect your water heater is worth it. Look for signs of a leak which may be an actual damp spot on the floor or a water heater that looks like it is sweating. First of all, keep in mind that the ground should never be damp, so if you notice it but can’t find a leak, this is still probably an indication of a leak and you need a plumber in Arlington, TX. Leaking tanks tend to drop the most water when the pressure is the highest, so just because you don’t see a leak while looking at your tank doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. It just means you aren’t looking at it while the pressure is high.

A plumber has the right tools to find and diagnose the leak. Depending on where the leak is there is a good chance that you will have to replace your tank at this point. Unless the leak happens to be caused by a washer or faulty fixture near the inlet or outlet valves, you can’t repair corrosion and rust that leads to leaks in the tank.

Another sign that we mentioned briefly of a leaky tank is if it looks sweaty. While a small amount of condensation is okay, you should never visibly be able to see it. If you can clearly see that your tank looks like it is weeping then there is a leak somewhere allowing all of this moisture to get into the air. Once again, a call to your local plumbing service should be the first thing you do after noticing this.

Just as a small note, there are a few warning signs that a leak is imminent or may even already exist that it is wise to know about. These signs include signs of corrosion somewhere on your water heater, rusty spots showing up on the heater or near it on the piping (remember rust and corrosion will spread), or an excessive amount of water in the drip pan. If you notice any of these other signs you should call a plumbing company and try to ward off any issues before they arise.

You Have Multiple Drains that Won’t Drain

One of the most popular reasons that plumbers end up at homes is because of clogged drains. Unfortunately, more times than not when we get there the homeowner has already attempted to handle the drain on their own, but most of the time this doesn’t work out in their favor. If you have a clogged drain don’t attempt to fix it on your own, instead just call a plumber from the offset and skip the problems that occur afterward.

There are several reasons for this. First of all, if you attempt to use chemical drain cleaners from the hardware store they will actually eat away at your pipes causing many costly issues down the road. The drain cleaners can eat away some clogs, but they don’t know where the clog stops and the pipe begins. Therefore, they eat everything in their path and should be avoided if you don’t want to end up replacing your entire plumbing system prematurely.

Plumbers on the other end approach clog in a much different fashion. They actually have special tools with video recorders on the end that allow them to see down drains and identify where the clog is and what it is made out of. This is helpful for two reasons, one it allows them to effectively break up the clog so that the water can drain through again unhindered. Two, it tells you what formed the clog so you can ensure it doesn’t go down the drain again causing the same issue.

Plumbers often see hair, tree roots, flushable wipes, and grease build-up inside of clogged drains. Changing your plumbing habits is the best way to prevent a clog from occurring again and is something that you can easily do in most cases.

Dripping Faucet

The other major home issue that plumbers tend to get called in to fix after the homeowner already causes a larger issue attempting to fix it themselves is a dripping faucet. Dripping faucets are annoying because they seem to exist just to annoy you, however, they can do a lot more than just annoy you. They can cost you and the environment a lot of money. A water fixture that releases ten drips per minute can release up to 500 gallons of water every year. That is a lot of water, and if you have a faucet that is leaking more than that, the costs add up even quicker.

Instead of putting off that dripping faucet, it is a better idea to just call a plumber. It is always a better idea to pay for the plumber versus for paying for wasted water. A lot of people try to quickly fix leaky faucets with plumbers’ tape or a new washer, but a lot of leaks won’t resolve this way. Calling a plumber in the first place can save you some time and some money.

The Toilet Is Overflowing

This is another one that seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of people think they can handle their toilet on their own. Failing to do so however can cause large issues like wastewater all over the floor. You can keep attempting to deal with the problem on your own, and pay for wasted water, flood damage, and the uncomfortable task of cleaning feces and toilet paper off your bathroom floor or save yourself the hassle and call a plumber.

If you are ready to make that call, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth is here for you. We help customers throughout Arlington, TX with their plumbing issues and would be happy to send a plumber out to your home to help you troubleshoot yours.