Plumbing Service Tips: Beware Of These Common Plumbing Emergencies | Rhome, TX
Most folks in Rhome, TX, tend to take functional plumbing for granted until a plumbing emergency happens. Plumbing emergencies can be a huge inconvenience and put you into an unnecessary panic, causing you to dash for the phone to contact a 24-hour plumbing service provider in Rhome, TX, to come to the rescue.
When you are faced with a plumbing emergency, you don’t need to panic because plumbing emergencies are bound to happen once in a while. You need to take fast action by contacting a plumbing service professional. This blog post will discuss the most common plumbing emergencies to prepare you for plumbing problems and reduce the chances of such issues arising.
Clogged Toilets
No sane homeowner looks forward to a clogged toilet. Imagine taking a quick trip to the washroom, and boom! You’re facing a clogged drain or an overflowing toilet.
Toilet clogs are among the leading plumbing issues experienced by homeowners in the United States. When homeowners find themselves in this situation, most tend to take the DIY approach to fix the toilet without investigating the possible causes of the clogging. That’s why it’s important to involve a reputable plumbing service provider to perform inspections before fixing the toilet.
For instance, the problem could be the toilet itself and nothing to do with substances dumped in the toilet. This commonly happens if you use an old generation toilet that tends to have these problems because of its low-flush nature.
Most issues resulting from this toilet are linked to low water pressure. It also has little power, especially when flushing waste down the drain. In such cases, a plumbing expert will recommend switching to modern-day toilets with low-flow designs that focus on water efficiency and consumption.
The toilet could also be overflowing because of non-flushable items, which prevents the waste from flowing down. Homeowners are cautioned against feminine flushing products, cleaning wipes, paper towels, cotton balls, and other non-biodegradable materials notorious for clogging toilets.
Other issues that clog your toilet include defective flappers, toilet fresheners, too much toilet paper, issues with the main sewer line, and old pipework. While some of these problems can easily be fixed using the DIY approach, some are best left for experienced plumbing service professionals.
Since toilet blockages are not an ideal situation, you can arrange with the plumbing company to check the inner workings of your toilet twice a year. This ensures the key components are in top-notch condition and help determine if you need to replace some fixtures. This saves you from unexpected toilet emergencies.
Hot Water Failure
Picture this; you step into a shower on a frigid winter morning, expecting hot water to wash over you; instead, you are met with cold droplets that make you almost jump out of your skin. Cold showers can be brutal, especially in the winter, and if your water heater decides to misbehave during this time, you need to seek emergency plumbing services right away to have the problem fixed. Besides lacking hot water, a malfunctioning water heater could be a symptom of a bigger problem; hence, the reason you must call a plumber immediately.
Water heaters are the workhorses in most households. They help homeowners carry out their chores such as bathing, washing, and cleaning dishes. Water heaters consume approximately 18 percent of your home’s energy usage, making them among the top three energy appliances consuming a lot of power.
In the United States, hot water is not a luxury; in fact, the average homeowner in the United States uses at least 80 to 120 gallons of hot water daily, which translates to $267 on average in a year. Hot water effectively kills bacteria and germs on dishes, surfaces, and laundry. Many homes in Rhome, TX, are heated by steam heat or hot water; thus, experiencing a water heater failure can paralyze your house chores.
Some of the most common issues that affect water heaters include a broken dip tube, damaged heating mechanism, sludge build-up inside the water tank, internal rust, or wrong size heater. At times the problem could be old age since these systems have a life span of about 8 to 12 years. If your water heater has served you for over 12 years, you’ll be experiencing constant plumbing issues ranging from bad heating and rust to funny noises. You can consult with a reliable plumbing services company in Rhome, TX, to have it replaced with a brand, energy-efficient model.
Clogged Sinks or Tubs
Kitchen, bathroom, or even utility sinks may become clogged, causing havoc in your plumbing system. If your sink fails to drain, you can’t wash your hands or brush your teeth. And if you have few sinks, this becomes a severe emergency. Failure to take quick action may cause water overflow. It’s essential to have a plumbing service take preventative measures to avoid such inconveniences.
For starters, food washed off plates is the primary cause of such clogs. When it gets into the drain, it’s trapped in the pipe system under the sink. Manufacturers design sinks with a P- or J-trap to catch such big particles to ensure more oversized items don’t end in the rest of the residential pipe system. These bits of food accumulate and clog over time. To avoid this clogging, it’s best to install a garbage disposal to prevent food from entering the drain.
Another common substance that can clog your sink is grease. This substance causes sticky sediment that traps other food particles, forming a clog over time. Clogs caused by grease are difficult to remove; even a disposal unit cannot break down liquid grease.
Also, beware of eggshells, coffee grinds, hair, prescription drugs, and other small objects. In case you encounter a sink blockage, you can try to unclog the drain using your fingers or a wire clothes hanger. If it fails, you’ll need a plumbing service professional plumbing services to address these problems.
Sump Pump Failure
A flooded basement is a nightmare to any homeowner. That’s why most homes in Rhome, TX, have sump pumps to minimize the risk and prevent enormous structural damages and high repair costs.
In case of heavy rains, a sump pump quickly drains floodwater from your home’s basement via an external discharge pipe. Like all emergency tools, it’s crucial to ensure your sump pump is in good condition and free of mechanical problems.
A malfunctioning sump pump could end up costing you thousands of dollars in damages in the event of extreme rains. It is mainly placed in the basement or crawl space, usually below surface level, hence susceptible to flooding.
Many times your sump pump could fail due to a stuck switch. This mechanical issue happens when the pump turns inside the basin, and the float that runs the button becomes ineffective by removing itself against the system. Sometimes it’s debris that clocks the float, which renders it useless. These issues don’t need a plumbing service professionals because you can fix them by cleaning and changing the position of the sump pump within the basin.
An overworked sump pump is bound to malfunction. An influx of water can easily overburden a sump pump if it’s unable to generate the required horsepower or not of the right size. That’s why it’s essential to consult a plumbing service professional before purchasing a sump pump because if it’s small, it will overwork, which reduces its lifespan. Also, a big sump pump will underwork, and this shortens its lifespan as well.
Also, your sump pump needs a good cleaning and regular maintenance. You can perform the required maintenance without involving a plumbing service provider. You can run a vinegar solution through your sump pump to clean all the air holes on the discharge line and vents on the sump pump.
In addition, power failure may cause sump pump failure. To be on the safe side, you can avoid this problem by buying and mounting a backup generator for your sump pump. Other factors that can cause the sump system to fail include old age, improper installation, product defects, and frozen or clogged discharge pipes.
Burst Pipes
Based on claims filed with insurance companies, water damage ranks among the top causes of loss for homeowners. It’s estimated that one in 50 insured homes has a property damage claim resulting from freezing or water damage every year.
Pipes are run throughout and under your residential property, and this daily usage causes them to experience wear and tear over time. Pressure can build up inside these pipes, causing them to burst, resulting in catastrophic property loss, mold, and mildew growth, and compromise your property’s structural integrity. Thus, it’s essential to know from your plumbing service what causes pipes to burst to protect your home from water damage.
Most pipes burst during winter when they freeze. In Rhome, TX, temperatures can drop to the low of 32 degrees, and this causes water inside the pipe to freeze. Some folks may miss the early signs of a frozen pipe because water still passes through the pipe but at a slower pace. Pressure starts to build up when water freezes on one side of the pipe.
The pressure becomes extreme, causing the pipe to burst. You should ensure the water pipes are insulated and constantly monitored during winter, especially when temperatures fall below freezing.
Tree roots or shrubs planted near underground water pipes may cause pressure on the pipes, leading to pipes cracking and leaking. As trees grow, their roots become larger, spreading further into the soil, looking for water in underground and sewer lines.
Once the roots invade the underground pipes, it’s a matter of time before they burst. If you notice roots have entered your water lines, immediately reach out to a professional plumbing service company to inspect the lines for clogs and breaks.
Also, rust, old age, and corrosion may cause pipes to burst. Over the years, metal plumbing pipes age and rust, weakening the joints, pipe walls, and seals. Tiny cracks develop due to corrosion, leading to a complete rupture. In Rhome, TX, your plumbing pipes may also burst due to shifting soil conditions, high water pressure, accidental damage, poor installation, or hard water.
Sewage Backup
This is the most unpleasant plumbing disaster that you should avoid at all costs. It occurs when wastewater fails to drain properly from your home due to damage or obstruction. In most cases, it appears in the primary sewer line connecting your house to the municipal sanitary sewers. Failure to take immediate action causes wastewater to fill your sewer lines and drainpipes, leading to a backup and waste coming back into your home. It is not only smelling and unattractive; it’s a health risk to other family members.
The common culprit of sewer backups is old sewer systems. Most sewer lines are made of durable materials, such as clay, PVC, Orangeburg, or cast iron. But these materials have a limited lifespan, and like all manufactured things, they deteriorate and eventually collapse as they age. If your sewer lines are old, you can contact a plumbing service company to replace them with newer plastic piping that prevents tree root problems. The surface of the plastic pipes causes roots to grow around them and not through them.
Tree roots can lead to sewer backup when they reach the line cracks and service pipe joints. As they continue growing, trees cause massive damage and blockage. If they have already invaded your line, you can have a plumbing service professional carefully remove them by cutting the roots and fixing or replacing the pipe.
Sometimes sewer backups are caused by problems from the municipal sewer. If the clogging in the municipal sewer isn’t identified and taken care of immediately, the wastewater could back up into homes via floor drains. Unfortunately, it does not give early warning signs and happens slowly. You can seek professional plumbing services immediately if you notice some seepage around the floor drains. It would also be wise to contact and report the problem to your local public works office.
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