Few things can be as unnerving as experiencing plumbing-related issues in your home. Whether it’s burst pipes, a leaky faucet, an overflowing toilet, or another typical plumbing problem, each second that passes when you’re waiting for the plumber to arrive can feel like an hour! Here are a few of the most common plumbing problems and what you can do to help prevent them from occurring in the first place.
Leaky Pipes
If one of the pipes in your home has sprung a leak due to freezing outdoor temperatures, you’re not alone! According to Emergency Plumbers Flatirons Plumbing of Boulder, Colorado, burst pipes are one of the top reasons for plumbing service calls in America. During the cold winter months, it’s common for pipes to leak. This is because heat from inside the home causes the frozen pipes to expand and burst. The result can be a huge mess, and may cause flooding and water damage to your flooring, furniture, and other household items. The best way to prevent leaky or burst pipes is to make sure they are properly insulated in order to stay warm. On the coldest nights of the year, running a small trickle of water from your faucets is also helpful, as is keeping your under-sink cabinet doors open a crack. This allows heat from inside your home to circulate and warm the pipes, preventing water from freezing in them.
Running Toilet
Is your toilet running? No, that’s not the setup for a joke- it’s a common plumbing issue that can cause a great deal of wasted water, low pressure, and a very annoying sound of constant flushing or running water. If your toilet continues to run for long periods of time after being flushed, a loose flapper may be to blame. The flapper is the rubbery seal that lifts each time your toilet is flushed, then lowers to stop the toilet once the water tank has refilled. Over time, flappers loosen with wear, causing the seal to loosen as well. This results in a toilet that sounds like it is continuously flushing, and can add up to 200 gallons of wasted water per day! Let your plumber know if your toilet is running, and he or she can replace the flapper and get you back on track.
Water Heater Problems
Ever step into your morning shower expecting a warm, inviting wake-up, only to be hit with a blast of startlingly cold water? There’s nothing quite like a broken water heater to get your day off to a miserable start! Water heater issues can severely impact your family’s ability to shower, do laundry, run the dishwasher, and many more important household tasks. Worst of all, a malfunctioning water heater can rack up considerable costs on both your energy and water bills, translating to wasted money! Yearly maintenance can help mitigate water heater failure, but even the most well-maintained water heater is only designed to last 8 to 12 years. Your plumber can help you determine whether your water heater can be repaired or if it’s time for an upgrade.
Plumbing problems can easily turn your day into a disaster, but there’s no need to panic- with the help of a reputable plumber, you can be sure even the most aggravating plumbing problem can be solved quickly and effectively, so that you can get back to your everyday life and enjoy your home to its fullest.