Plumbing Problems That Can Sneak Up on You 

It’s no wonder why the plumbing industry reached a market size of $124 billion in 2021. Every homeowner, landlord, and business owner needs plumbing services. 

Your home’s plumbing system provides fresh water when you need it and removes the wastewater you create. As a result, your plumbing system is a crucial component of your home.

But a plumbing system will encounter problems. Some plumbing problems are apparent when they occur. But, on the other hand, some issues sneak up without clear signals and signs. 

As a homeowner, you should know what problems to watch for, and this guide will help you learn some of the sneaky issues a plumbing system might encounter. 

Plumbing Leaks

One of the most common plumbing problems you might not discover right away is plumbing leaks. A plumbing system has pipes running through the walls, floors, or ceilings, so you can’t see most of them.

These pipes run to each fixture in your home, and each fixture has a pipe running to the sewer system. A leak can occur in any of these pipes. Unfortunately, you might not catch the leak right away.

If a pipe develops a pin-size leak, it might take months or years to discover it. On the other hand, if a pipe develops a major leak, you might notice it relatively quickly. 

Leaky pipes allow water to enter your home in areas where it doesn’t belong. The effects of leaks can be devastating to a home, as water leaks cause water damage, mold, and other issues. 

Toilet Issues

Sneaky plumbing problems also involve toilets. A toilet might have obvious signs of problems, but toilets can also have problems you might not see right away. 

For example, an example of an obvious toilet issue is a clogged toilet. If your toilet won’t flush and is overflowing, you’ll instantly see this issue. 

A not-so-obvious issue is a minor leak in a toilet. For example, your toilet might have a minor leak that causes it to run more often than it should. This leak might allow water to spill onto your floor or inside the walls. 

Toilets also develop other issues that require professional help. If you have plumbing issues with your toilets, you’ll need to hire a plumbing company for help. 

Clogged Drains

In most situations, drains don’t clog from one event. Instead, clogs develop slowly over time.

As you use your drains, the drains encounter hair, soap scum, and other forms of debris. This debris slowly sticks together, forming a clog somewhere in the pipe. 

Your drains might currently be developing clogs, and you won’t even realize it. However, you can watch for the signs. The most common sign is slow-moving water.

If water doesn’t drain as quickly as it once did, it might indicate a clog in the pipe. 

You can also take steps to avoid developing clogs, such as placing screens on your drains. Additionally, you might want to pour a pot of boiling water into each drain monthly, as this helps clear the debris from the pipes. 

If you encounter a fixture that won’t drain, you might need to contact a professional plumber to clean the pipe. Plumbers have special tools that clear debris from pipes, and they can clean every clogged pipe in your home. 

Sewer Blockage

A sewer blockage is one of the most common plumbing emergencies you might experience. Your home’s plumbing system connects to one main pipe. This pipe extends from your home to the sewer system.

Unfortunately, you can develop clogs in this main artery. If you do, you’ll likely experience major signs. However, you might not know that you have a clog right away. The signs don’t always show up immediately.

Instead, the clog builds slowly over time. When it’s fully clogged, your plumbing fixtures won’t drain. Instead, the wastewater might come up through them, causing a huge mess in your home. 

If you experience a time when your plumbing fixtures back up as described here, it’s likely due to a blockage in your main sewer pipe. 

Bad Water Heater

Water heater issues can also sneak up on homeowners. For example, you might have hot water one day and no hot water the next. Why would this happen? 

A hot water heater might wear out over time, leaving it unable to produce hot water. A part might also wear out within the device, causing it to need repairs before it can work properly. 

It’s hard to predict when your hot water heater will stop producing hot water, but most tend to stop working after a number of years. 

If you wake up and find that you have no hot water, you should look up “plumber near me” to find a plumber right away. You won’t have hot water until you repair or replace the device. 

Water Pressure or No Water

Finally, you might experience problems with low water pressure or no water at all. These problems can also come out of nowhere or with very little warning. 

If you have no water at all, the problem might be your well or water pump. If your water pressure suddenly decreases, you might have a leak somewhere or a problem with your water pump.

Low water pressure can occur for many reasons, but a plumber can determine the cause and the remedy. 

Watch for the Signs of These Plumbing Problems

Some plumbing problems pop up out of nowhere, but others tell you through various signs. If you know the signs to watch for, you might catch the problems before they become too serious. 

You should have a plumber to call when you experience problems if you own a home. If you don’t a plumber yet, you might want to start looking for one to use when you need plumbing repairs.

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