5 Common Plumbing Issues (and How to Fix Them)
5 Common Plumbing Issues (and How to Fix Them)
06/17/2021
The average American family goes through about 400 gallons of water per day. Unless these families are drinking a lot of water, most of this amount goes towards plumbing. Unfortunately, many Americans also deal with plumbing issues. Thankfully, not all of them require a plumber to deal with and can be handled easily at home.
These are 5 of the most common plumbing problems and how to fix them.
1. Leaking Pipes
Most plumbing leaks waste over 10,000 gallons of water per year.
A large portion of that is wasted from leaking pipes.
Dealing with this issue is often done by taking preventative measures. This means finding small leaks in inspection before they turn into large ones.
If you find a small one on your own, some plumbing tape will prevent the leakage for a time. This will give enough time to get replacement parts or to call a plumber.
2. Clogged Toilet
A clogged toilet is visually uncomfortable. It’s also one of the most common plumbing problems.
The typical cause of it is if you try and flush something that shouldn’t be flushed. The most common of these items are paper towels and tampons.
Most homes have a plunger near the toilet to deal with quick clogs.
If that doesn’t work, try a drain snake. It’s not as common in homes, but it may help.
If neither of those items is helpful, plenty of chemical cleaners are designed for dealing with clogged toilets.
3. Sink Isn’t Draining
A sink that isn’t letting water go down can also be very distressful.
Similar to a clogged toilet, this usually means something is choking the pipes.
It also has similar solutions to a clogged toilet.
Many homes use a plunger or drain snake first. It is recommended however that you keep separate tools for working with your sink and toilet. Risking cross-contamination may lead to other issues.
Where sinks and toilets differ however is in the piping. Sinks tend to have more intricate piping systems.
Because of this, if a clog isn’t dealt with in a timely manner, it runs the risk of a devastating pipe first. If none of the previously mentioned solutions worked, call a plumbing professional immediately.
4. Low Water Pressure
There are several common causes for low water pressure. The most common one is built-up sediment.
Thankfully, there’s a simple fix. Just cleaning the showerhead with vinegar will clear most types of sediment.
5. Running Toilet
A running toilet is one of the most expensive plumbing issues. Like leaking pipes, it leads to an incredible amount of wasted water. This affects the average home through a higher water bill.
Usually, it just means that a component is broken. Most toilet repair kits will cover the basic components.
Still Having Plumbing Issues?
Many homes have DIY solutions that will take care of these common problems.
But not every plumbing issue can be accounted for by having the right tool on hand.
If plumbing is out of your comfort zone, contact us. Serving North Central and North East Oklahoma, we handle plumbing in residences of all shapes and sizes.