When it comes to home maintenance, few things are as frustrating, costly, and time-consuming as plumbing repair. Leaving a plumbing problem unchecked can cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Luckily, even if you aren’t familiar with plumbing basics, a savvy homeowner can usually find easily noticeable warning signs that indicate it’s time to call a plumber.
Problems that are caught early are often easily fixable, and even these little repairs can make a big difference. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that simply fixing leaking pipes can save you up to 10% on your water bills. Of course, ignoring leaking pipes and other plumbing problems can cost you much, much more. Trust us, plumbing bills are usually much more affordable than water damage bills.
If you’re a homeowner, here are four warning signs that indicate you may need a plumber.
Water Gurgles Up Your Tub or Shower Faucet
Left unchecked, clogged sewer lines are a worst case scenario for homeowners. If water gurgles up your tub or other faucets when you flush the toilet, then you may very well have clogged sewer lines. Eventually, all that sewage will find another exit: inside your home itself.
Toilet Will Not Flush
Sometimes, this problem is easily fixed with a quality plunger and some elbow grease, but that’s not always the case. A plumber can assist you with any stubbornly clogged drains, but they can also help you take preventative measures to assure it happens less frequently.
Water Starts to Flood Your Home
Of all the plumbing warning signs, flooding is usually the easiest one to spot. If you start to notice water appearing in places it shouldn’t — even if it’s just your basement — it’s a sure sign there’s a serious issue with your plumbing. Whether it’s a leaking faucet, a small puddle, or a flooded basement, it’s usually a good idea to let an emergency service plumber check it out before it becomes a bigger problem.
Something Smells
One of the lesser known but still important plumbing basics is if you start to notice bad smells coming from your sinks, showers, or toilets. Leaving mysterious smells unchecked can lead to more serious consequences for the health of your family and the quality of your plumbing.
Plumbing problems are one of those things we hope never have to happen, but inevitably will. It’s important that homeowners get these issues fixed as soon as possible to save both time and money. We hope these plumbing basics help you to recognize when it’s time to call reliable plumbing services.