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You trust that your plumbing system is working behind the scenes every time you head to the faucet to get water. Most people don’t give their plumbing system a second thought, but the moment you notice a leak you will instantly be thinking about your plumbing. Before you get to the point of needing a plumber in Granbury, TX, you might be interested to learn about the common issues behind leaky pipes.

Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with these any time soon, but being aware of the major leak issues can help you prevent them. As always preventative plumbing visits are a great way to ensure that you don’t have to deal with a messy leak one day. Some plumbing emergencies cannot be avoided, but routine maintenance performed by a licensed plumber can help troubleshoot a lot of potential issues and help you keep your home nice and dry.

After all, routine calls from a plumber will always be cheaper than an emergency call. Factor in water damage, and you quickly end up with a high price tag for something that could have been prevented. With this in mind, read over the following list of common plumbing issues and reassess your plumbing system to see if there are a few minor adjustments you can make to avoid a leak.

Frozen Pipes

While it is not as likely that a customer in Granbury, TX is going to have frozen pipes as a customer in the northeast, Texas is known to have some cold nights during the winter months. There is always a chance that a pipe will unexpectedly freeze and if your plumbing is not properly insulated it could happen to you. Frozen pipes catch many customers off-guard because they are not on the radar for most Texans. This is why having a plumber check your plumbing system can be a good idea.

The problem with frozen pipes is more than just stopped water flow. If the pipes are not properly thawed, then there is a good chance they could burst. This is because water expands so once it freezes it gets larger. If enough water freezes or there is pressure on frozen areas from water in other areas of the home, the result can be a burst. A burst pipe can result in a large flood, lots of water damage, and a call to an emergency plumber. If you have any reason to think that your pipes are frozen you need to call a Granbury, TX plumber right away.

You also may want to consider calling a plumber to take a look at the current insulation around your pipes, particularly any outdoor piping. If they are already insulated great, but if they aren’t then you may want to consider hiring a plumber to add some insulation. The minimal price can help protect you from a very expensive plumbing emergency.

Poor Foundation or Plumbing Installation

If you have a newer home you may think that your plumbing is automatically sound, and hopefully, this is the case. Unfortunately, in some instances, the construction team did not properly prepare the foundation or the plumbing and you could have an issue sooner instead of later.

When time is an issue some construction teams cut corners and don’t properly compact the soil on the property before they start building a new home. As a result, once the home is built the soil starts to finally settle into place which can cause the foundation to shift slightly. While there will not be enough movement for the naked eye to catch, this can cause problems with your piping.

The shifting soil or foundation can put unexpected force on your pipes causing them to break or crack. The result is leaky pipes buried in the ground that you don’t even know about. Over time these leaks can get much worse resulting in flooding or water bills that are sky high without a plausible explanation until you call a plumber.

Poor installation can also allude to issues on a much smaller level than your home foundation. It may seem to mean that the plumbing fixtures or water heater in your home were not properly installed. In this case, the connections may be loose which will eventually lead to leaks. This is just one of the many reasons why you should always hire a licensed, professional plumber to complete repairs or install appliances in your home.

Tree or Shrub Roots

Trees and shrubs can provide a great deal of shade for your home, and they can also make your property look much more attractive. However, trees and large shrub roots can also cause problems with your plumbing making your landscaping a catch 22.

All the pipes that run water in and out of your home are buried under the ground, and in most cases through your front yard. Unfortunately, if you have trees or shrubs their roots are likely invading these pipes as you read this. Hair-like roots tend to slowly slip into your pipes and at first, don’t cause too many issues. Eventually, they grow into larger roots that trap wastes and cause clogs.

The worst-case scenario occurs when the hair-like roots push away at your plumbing as they grow breaking apart the pipe joints leading to the collapse of your pipes. This results in loose sewage that escapes into your soil until it becomes saturated. At which point the loose sewage will back up through a floor drain in your home. At this point, you will need an emergency plumber and have to deal with the water damage that is associated with sewage backups. Not only is it a costly mess, but it is a stinky mess.

The best way to prevent this situation is by choosing not to plant any trees near the sewage lines. If you have an older home, you may not have any control over where trees are growing in your front yard, but you should be aware of the potential. Regular drain cleaning and inspection by a plumber is a great way to ensure that you aren’t caught off guard by any sewer line damage.

Aging Pipes 

Like any other system in your home, your plumbing system ages over time. A plumbing system in an old home that has not been properly maintained will have a higher risk of water leaks than a newer one. Even if you maintain the system, if it is a few decades old it will start to corrode from simple wear and tear. There is nothing you can do to stop your plumbing system from aging.

If you have any older plumbing system the goal should be to maintain it and stay on top of it with regular plumbing checks by a professional plumber. Copper and steel pipes, in particular, are more likely to rust, which eventually leads to corrosion and leaks. Carefully checking all of your visible piping on a semi-annual basis for rust can help you troubleshoot a potential leak before it occurs. While you can’t always check a hidden pipe, the condition of the visible pipes in the general vicinity should give you a good idea of the overall condition of your piping.

High Water Pressure

Nothing feels better on a cool morning then a stream of heavy water on your back in the shower, but high water pressure is not always a good thing. Like most things, there is a good balance you should shoot for between high and low water pressure. Low water pressure will make your plumbing system almost impossible to use, but high levels could be straining it to the point of causing a leak.

If water is forced through your pipes at excessively high pressure, the pressure can place unexpected strain on the joints of the pipes. Over time this will weaken the joints until they eventually crack or leak. This is a simple problem to avoid since all you need to do is reduce the water pressure in your home to a more comfortable level. If you suspect the water pressure in your home may be too high, call a plumber and ask them to measure it. Any level above 60psi should be carefully monitored and usually, a simple pressure reducing valve will do the trick.

Ignored Clogs

People live busy lives, so while a slow drain may seem inconvenient, a lot of people just ignore it because they don’t want to take the time to deal with it. However, a slow drain is a lot more than just inconvenient, it is also a ticking time bomb if you don’t call a plumber in Granbury, TX and take care of the issue.

Over time a clogged drain will completely obstruct, and then instead of having a slow drain, you will likely have a drain that is backed up. When you have smelly, disgusting sewage coming out of your drain you will wish you had taken care of the clog a lot sooner.

It’s possible that the slow drain never fully clogs, but leaving the partial clog in the plumbing can eventually allow the piping to deteriorate. This is even more likely if the clog is made out of corrosive substances that are just sitting against the piping eating away at it. If you use chemical drain cleaners you increase the risk of this occurring. What happens is people use the cleaners which are not successfully at fully clearing the clog, and then the chemical solution sits in the pipe slowly eating away at the pipes until they break, leak, or burst.

As a basic rule of thumb, if you can’t get the drain cleaned with a plunger and it continues to run slowly or backup, it’s time to call in a plumber. A professional can quickly get to the bottom of the clog and then apply proper and safe drain cleaning techniques to rectify the situation.

Hidden Damaged Pipe Joints or Seals

Almost all plumbing features have joints that sit at curved corners somewhere along the line. You may or may not see the curved joints, but that does not mean that they aren’t there. Over time the joints start to loosen due to continuous water pressure. Sometimes the seals around these joints loosen or become damaged before the joints go.

In either case, once the joints or seals are damaged water will start to leak from the joints every time it is turned on near these pipes. Sinks are a common place for this type of curved joint, and sinks are also a common place for leaks to begin. If you open the cabinet under the sink and notice a leak, there is a good chance something is wrong with the joint. A call to the plumber immediately can help you contain the issue before it gets worse.

While you can use a bucket to catch the drops for now, the longer you wait, the looser the joint or seal is going to get and eventually a straight rush of water will run out. You can help prevent or prolong the lifespan of your plumbing joints by being kind to your plumbing. Try to avoid opening the tap at full speed if you can, and slowly turn the water on and off to help preserve your pipe joints. A little diligence is all it takes to help elongate the lifespan of your heavily used pipe joints.

These are just a few of the many reasons you may find a leak in your plumbing system. If you suspect that your system may not be up to par in one or more of these areas, it’s a good idea to give your local plumber a call. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in the Granbury, TX area is a team of highly experienced and fully licensed plumbers ready to take your call. They can inspect your plumbing and help minimize any present risk factors so that you don’t have to wake up to a leaking pipe any time soon.