What are the most Common Plumbing Problems in the household?

Running toilet

Running  toilet can be a common occurrence in your home. This can be because of numerous reasons, your flappers could have degraded having been submerged under water, your water level in the tank is too high or your refill tube isn’t sized correctly for your toilet.

Running toilet constantly misuses a lot of water and if not taken care of on time, it can run your water bill up. Why pay extra when you can save money and water by fixing the problem on time? 

How to take care of it?

You can examine and tighten the handle, change the flapper, or adjust the float height according to the requirement.
If you are new to plumbing, you could call in a pro plumber to take care of the problem.

Here is detail blogs for fixing the running toilet.

Clogged toilet

You do not need to be a plumber to notice a clogged toilet. If your toilet does not flush and if the water backs up instead, then you have a clogged toilet. As gross as it may seem, fixing a clogged toilet is pretty simple. All you need is a plunger and some gloves to help you clear the toilet’s pathways. 

Clogged toilets are not the prettiest sight to see. It hinders your daily routine and a bad start to your day would ruin your entire day.

How to take care of it?

You will need to make sure that your plunger is fully submerged in the toilet and after it creates a firm seal, you will have to plunge it up and down to unclog the blockage in the toilet’s U-bend.

Shower Leaks

Shower leaks can happen irrespective of how new your installation is. If your plumber has not installed it properly you will unfortunately have to go through the tip-tap of the water leakage from your showerhead. 

Another possible reason is the age of the installation. The O-ring or the seal could have deteriorated over time, which won’t stop the water from leaking. 

Mineral deposits or limescale buildup in the shower head can also cause leaks in the shower. Shower leaks if overlooked could cost you a lot. According to a calculation, only 10 drops of water per minute will add up to 500 gallons of water in a year. That is roughly 60 loads of dishes.

How to take care of it?

As annoying as this is, it is an easy fix. You will need a toothbrush and vinegar in your home to clean the showerhead to clean the mineral or the limescale deposit to fix your leaky shower head. While you’re at it you should also replace the o-ring in the showerhead.

Clogged Sink

Depending on what sink it is, your sinks can be clogged because of hair, grease, or food scraps. It will put your housework on hold and can begin to stink if you don’t take care of it in time.

How to take care of it?

You can use your hands or a pair of pliers to remove the hair or scraps that are causing the blockage. And if the water is still adamant about leaving the sink, then the blockage is probably because of the grease. 

To combat this, you can power hot water to melt the grease off. Clogged sinks are preventable. Use a scrap strainer to prevent scraps from being stuck and clogging the sink. 

Clogged Drain

Clogged drains happen because of mineral buildup, small objects being stuck in the pipes, toilet paper, wipes, and trying to flush undissolvable things in the drain. This can be such a nuisance and can flood the areas which can damage wooden floorings and carpets. 

How to take care of it?

Treating a clogged drain is also pretty doable on your own or you can Call a plumber if you do not have any experience of unclogging drain or fear you may make the problem worse. 

Well you choose to do it yourself, it is super simple and easy, you can use a concoction of one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar and cover it for 5 to 15 minutes to clear the blockage. 

However, using this mixture often can cause your drains to corrode over time. You can call the plumbers if you want your drain’s shelf life to be long.

Leaky faucets

Leaky faucets can happen because of many reasons. The water pressure, corrosion, and broken pipes can cause leaky faucets. It can be the improper installation of your faucets or your seal could be loose.

How can you take care of it?

You should remove the handle and change the cartridge or the o-ring. Make sure you tighten it just enough and not overdo it or else it will be more prone to early leakages in the future. if it still cant fix here is the detail breakdown to fix the leaky faucet.

In the future, try avoiding pressing the knob and twisting it too much to turn it off. This will loosen the seal and cause the faucet to be leaky.

Bad odor from the sink

Bad odor from the sink is generally due to bacteria and mold build-up. This build-up happened due to infrequent cleaning of the sink or a blockage that has not yet been noticed.

How can you take care of it?

No one likes a foul smell so, you need to take care of it as soon as you notice the funny smell. First, you need to pour boiling water in it, then use the baking soda and vinegar solution to counter the smell and the build-up.

Cover it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Pour another round of boiling water and properly flush the sink. Make sure that the water drains out quickly and that nothing that is not liquid and dissolvable stays away from the sink.

Frozen pipes

Frozen pipes are a normal occurrence in areas that are exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Frozen pipes can be avoided by letting the water drip and by insulating the open pipes. Frozen pipes should not be ignored as they can lead to bigger problems.

How to take care of it?

The major issue with a frozen pipe is that it could potentially lead to a pipe burst. So not only will you have trouble getting water but, a real mess will be created when your pipes burst and it will affect the structure of your house too.

There are certain preventive measures you can take to prevent your pipes from being frozen. You need to keep your faucet dripping so the water is constantly in motion to avoid freezing. And insulating the pipes is also a way to prevent your pipes from freezing.

Pipes bursting

Your pipes can burst due to many reasons. It could be a bad installation, corrosion, freezing, clogs, or wear and tear due to old age. Pipes burst not only disturbs your routine because you won’t get your water supply but it can also damage your property. 

How to take care of it?

Unlike other plumbing problems, fixing a broken water pipe can be a little difficult, especially if you do not have plumbing experience. You should Call a plumber to help you take care of a pipe burst. 

Not only will they have all the necessary tools and equipment but, they will also know the best way to fix your problem. You would also be putting yourself in harm’s way if you go and try to do it yourself.

To avoid pipe bursts, you need to maintain your pipes timely and insulate them. You should also make sure that the water pressure is not too high so that the pipes are not affected.

Low water pressure

Low water pressure is not a disastrous problem per se. But, it does lower the quality of life. It is the little things that affect our lives. The morning shower does affect how the day goes. But this can be an indication of some other underlying problems. 

How to take care of it?

Low water pressure can happen due to many things, faulty fittings, leakages, or a broken pressure regulator. So, if there is a change in the water pressure, then you should consult a plumber to look into things.

These were some of the common household plumbing problems that you could face. You can tackle these yourself with minimal use of specialized equipment. However, if you are new to plumbing or do not have a stable hand for it, you could contact Everest Drain and Plumbing to take care of it. 

We have a team of licensed specialized professionals who can provide you with the plumbing aid you need. We will also talk you through every step so that you understand what is happening and to assure you that things are happening as per your interest.