For most homeowners, any issue related to their home’s plumbing system is unnerving and can feel like an emergency. Without years of training and experience, you quickly decide to grab your phone and call for the help of your trusted licensed plumber of choice. But in many cases, you are a bit embarrassed to learn that the problem you are experiencing is a minor issue and could have waited until regular business hours.
So your biggest question is now how to know when you have a real plumbing emergency on your hands? The best way to answer this troubling question is to outline the five most common residential plumbing emergencies. These are the ones that any reliable plumber will tell you require their immediate attention to limit the potential for damage to your home and expensive repair bills.
- Clogged Toilets and Drains: A clog in a sink, tub, shower, or toilet drain is very serious. You have no way of knowing where the clog is located or how it will affect many of your home’s drains. So you also do not know where the backup might occur and what could be damaged by the dirty water and even raw sewage. It is never worth the risk to wait to call your plumber when you discover a drain clog.
- Leaking Pipes: Even if you think the leak is small and unimportant, don’t take a chance. A small leak can turn into a massive leak very quickly. Then you are facing a larger bill for the repair and even more to correct any water damage. Even a few water drips will begin to promote mold and mildew growth in as little as 24 hours. So never wait to call in a licensed professional as soon as you notice any water leak, no matter how small it might appear.
- Frozen Pipes– At the first sign of frozen pipes, call in a professional plumber to address this potentially costly problem. When water freezes inside lines and expands, the pipe can become riddled with cracks and leaks. But you will not know about all of these potentially expensive problems until the water thaws and begins to leak throughout your home. Pipes that are in colder spaces need to be adequately insulated to avoid freezing. However, once the pipe freezes, even if you don’t see any damage, never add insulation until after a licensed plumber has inspected the pipes and determined that there is no damage.
- Gas Leak: As soon as you notice the odor of rotten eggs in or around your home, call for emergency plumbing assistance. There is a gas leak somewhere in or near your home, and the result could be life-threatening. Evacuate your home and the immediate area quickly. Be sure also to remove any pets from the home for their safety. Leave doors and windows open if the odor is inside the house. This will prevent the gas from building up inside your home. Stay outside your home, at a safe distance, until it has been inspected by a licensed plumbing professional and deemed safe.
- Burst Pipes– Freeze damage is not the only cause of a burst water line. Pipes can burst because of constant crushing pressure from aggressive tree roots, earthquakes, construction work, or even a shift in the surrounding soil caused by heavy rain. In some cases, you will know almost immediately when a pipe bursts because you have no water pressure, and there is a flood in your yard. But other times, the change in water pressure could be more subtle. You might see an excessively green area in your lawn, a moist area in a plant bed area, or notice water bubbling up at the side of your driveway or sidewalk. It is also possible that you will discover your tap water is contaminated with bits of dirt and debris. As soon as you notice any of these telltale signs of a burst pipe, call the pros at Parobek Plumbing & Air Conditioning at (512) 910-8123. We offer 24/7 emergency appointments to relieve your stress and worry about these potentially expensive plumbing issues. Fast action is the best way to avoid costly repairs.
