Water Heater, Clogged Drain, Leaking Pipe Top 10 List To Call Plumber
According to the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Information Bureau, these are the top 10 reasons why homeowners call a plumbing repair company. Knowing that most of you will experience these plumbing problems at some point during your tenure as homeowner, we thought we would pass along this helpful list of things you can do to avoid many of them:
- No hot water. Water heater problems are the number one reason people call a plumbing and heating contractor – and that excludes calls about water heaters leaking water, which is number five on the list.Here are a few things to check before you pick up the phone to call for help:
- If you have a gas water heater with a pilot light, check to make sure it’s lit. If the pilot light has gone out, check your owner’s manual for directions for relighting it. Many newer gas heaters have ignitions systems that don’t require a pilot light.
- Make sure the temperature setting on the heater is set high enough to provide the hot water you need. But don’t overdo it (see #5).
- There’s a faucet near the bottom of the tank used to drain your water heater. Using a bucket to collect the water, drain the tank from time to time. It’ll help control the buildup of sediment in the tank, which can affect the amount of hot water you get.
- If you’re in a house that’s new to you make sure the water heater’s big enough to meet your needs. If not, consider a replacement.
- Clogged drains. Many of these calls can be avoided by being careful with what you put down drains – especially the kitchen sink drain, the most used and most clogged drain in the house. I also recommend regular treatment with Bio-Clean, a biological drain cleaner sold through plumbing contractors.
- Dripping faucets. This is an annoyance that most homeowners have to deal with from time to time as the washers in the faucets wear out. You can extend the life of your faucet washers by not turning them off with too much force. When you’re ready to replace your faucets, consider faucets with washerless valve cartridges instead of rubber washers. Since the valve mechanism is contained in one cartridge, these faucets are easier to repair. And the cartridges are generally more durable and do not leak as often as the older kind of faucets.
- Leaking pipes. In most cases, hidden leaking pipes cause expensive damage to floors, walls and belongings. To stop a small leak from turning into a big one, take a look at your pipes periodically to check for rust or white lime deposits that may indicate a leak is starting.
- Leaking water heaters. Most often when you have a leaker, it’s time to get rid of the water heater. Leaks usually indicate rusting through at the bottom of the storage tank, for which there is no repair. By the time this happens, the water heater is usually so old you benefit from replacing it with a new more energy-efficient model anyway.
- No heat. When your furnace or boiler stops operating, it can make for a long, cold winter night. An ounce of prevention here is worth of ton of cure. Make sure your heating system is functioning properly before the first cold snap hits. Have a competent contractor do a thorough examination and cleaning of your heating system in late summer or early fall every year.
- Running & leaking toilets. This is an annoyance and a waste of water and money. Leaky toilets can add $100 or much, much more a year on your water bills. If you hear a low humming noise, or if the toilet continues to run into the bowl after the toilet is flushed, it indicates that some part of the mechanism is out of order. Sometimes a little jiggling of the flush lever or flush valve mechanism solves the problem with cost. Otherwise you may need to call your plumber to replace the entire tank mechanisms.
- New faucet installation. Many homeowners replace faucets not only when they break down, but for decorative reasons as well. Some buy a faucet from a home center and then call a plumber to install it. This is okay, but be forewarned that in such cases the plumber will usually only guarantee his workmanship, not the faucet itself. Most plumbing contractors can sell you a new faucet as well as install it.
- Malfunctioning food-waste disposer. This can be a messy headache. A few tips to keep your disposer in good working order:
- Always run cold water when grinding to move the waste all the way down the drain lines. Fats and grease congeal and harden in cold water and can be flushed through the system. Don’t use hot water because it dissolves fats and grease, which then accumulates in the drain line, leading to slow or clogged drains.
- Almost all bio-degradable food waste can be fed into disposers. But they shouldn’t be used to grind clam or oyster shells, cornhusks or other material with a high fiber content. Under no circumstances should you put glass, plastic or metal non-food materials through a disposer. This includes bottle caps, tin covers or aluminum foil, which are some of the items service technicians commonly find in clogged or broken disposers.
- Grinding small bones and eggshells helps clean the disposer by scraping away stubborn deposits. Grinding citric fruits such as lemons or limes releases the acids in their pulp that help keep disposals clean and odor free. Grinding a little ice is another way to clean deposits and get rid of odors. For the most part, though, disposers are self-cleaning.
— John Ward, Applewood Plumbing, Denver, CO
Many of these suggestions can be done without the help of a licensed plumber, but if you prefer to get help from a local plumber, submit our online service request or give us a call to talk with a licensed plumber now, call us at (817) 477-5202 or (972) 216-3646. We are here to serve you!
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