Have you ever tried to pull a loose thread from your shirt sleeve really quickly because you thought it would do the trick? Then two seconds later you have just managed to disassemble your shirt all the way up to your collar!
Unfortunately, this is how many plumbing disasters happen. One moment you are tightening a screw under your leaky sink and the next you are on the other end of an ever flowing fountain you did not wish for.
Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us, even with common household plubming problems. Luckily, we have compiled a list of the most common plumbing mishaps along with some helpful tips and tools to add to your belt.
1. Indoor Swimming Pool
Flooding, like the weather, can be extremely unpredictable. However, If you don’t want to break out the floaties and splash around in your basement, here are a few devices that can help prevent that.
As mentioned in the video above, sump pumps and leak detectors are a great way to prevent floods.
Installing these types of devices in your home or business can save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run. Money you could spend on an actual pool in your backyard.
Not to mention, this is a great opportunity to do that bathroom remodel you’ve always wanted to do.
Updating your bathrooms at home and/or your business with experts who are equipped to do all jobs big and small can be smooth sailing when hiring a company with state of the art commercial grade technology. Check out Premier Plumbing in Michigan Bathroom Remodels for lots of great options like custom designs, remodeling, repair, or replacement.
2. It Sure Ain’t No “Potty” When The Toilet Overflows
Don’t cancel the party because your teen dropped their scrunchy in the toilet and tried to flush it. Try these few simple steps from the video to stop the flow and unclog the toilet before calling in the professionals. Acting fast with the proper equipment can save you from bigger problems.
Clogged toilets are actually one of the most common reasons for emergency plumbing house calls.
Making sure that all feminine products are not being flushed along with mountains of toilet paper is a great way to keep that from happening. They say the best way to unclog a toilet is by preventing it from getting clogged up in the first place.
Teaching your family the “Toilet Paper Folding Method” instead of balling it up into a miniature mountain as well as showing them how to manually remove objects that fall in the toilet are just a few easy tips.
Here’s a list of the best toilet tips & tools to help prevent a clog and unclog a toilet:
- Safety Toilet Lid Lock
- Toilet Tongs
- Toilet Auger
- Flange Plunger
3. Fighting the “Lock Ness” Monster in your Drain
Finding yourself in a foot of water when taking a shower can be your first indicator that your drain might be taken over by a very hairy, mythical monster.
Oftentimes, this can happen after months or years of all those precious locks of hair swirling down your drain. Hair goes down the drain and into a series of pipes where it can get stuck and eventually cause blockage. You can even find out exactly what happens when hair goes down a drain on one of our latest blogs.
This is why regular drain cleaning is so important and very useful when avoiding these types of problems. Inserting hair stoppers in your shower or tub is another great way to maintain a hair free drain.
There are many ways to unclog your tub or sink. In the video above, they are using a hanger to extract the built up hair from the drain. You can also use a snake or other tools that are similar for this purpose.
To prevent these issues, it’s recommended to try drain cleaning. Make that call and schedule a routine drain cleaning to wash the worry of dealing with those pesky pipes again. Check out some more awesome benefits on drain cleaning here.
4. Is Your Toilet Running?
Well you better go catch it before it starts causing you some serious problems!
Toilets running water nonstop can increase the risk of flooding, blockages, and your water bill. This video can guide you through the steps on how to fix it yourself if you want to give it a shot before calling in the pros. Sometimes it can be as easy as tightening or replacing a part.
When investigating, you can detect whether you have a leak or a more serious problem. Maybe it’s just time to replace your toilet.
5. Why Isn’t My Shower Creating a Steam Room?
For those of you who find pure enjoyment in taking a scalding hot shower and turning your bathroom into a personal steam room, here are some questions to ask yourself in order to keep your shower flow strong:
- Is your water heater making a crackling or popping when heating up?
- How long does it take for your water to heat up?
- Is your water turning cold after a couple minutes of running?
- How long has it been since you replaced it?
A faulty water heater is one of the most common ways to mess up your “me” time. It is one of the leading causes of indoor floodings as well. So keep an eye out for these signs and symptoms to avoid a headache.
Don’t stop your flow because of lack of hot water or not enough water pressure.
6. Under Pressure
Take the pressure off yourself and leave that for the pipes. Slow trickling water in your sink or shower can be really frustrating. Try checking the pressure with the tools mentioned in the video above before having to call in the big guys.
Sometimes all you need is a little adjustment. Or maybe there is a clogged pipe you might need to check out. A little bit of investigating can take you a long way.
Did you know that the average water pressure for residential areas are between 45 and 80 psi? Making sure you are between that range can take the pressure off of you knowing you can fully enjoy spa time or washing dishes with just the right amount of water flow.
For an office or business, you might want to call a trustworthy plumbing company to do a little further investigating for you if you’re still having issues. There are many more variables involved with water pressure when it comes to commercial type plumbing.
7. Don’t Go Crying Over Broken Egg Shells
Egg shells can cause tears when they are clogging up your garbage disposal and they make that horrible crunchy, screeching sound. Well grab a tissue because there will be no more tears.
Egg Shells, Coffee Grounds, Pasta, Oatmeal, peanuts, lids, spoons, and other objects making their way down the drain are clogging up your style. Don’t let these items find their way down your pipes by using a screen or drain-grate. Check out the video below to learn how to learn how you fix the problem yourself before reaching out for help.
Starting a food composting bin is not only great for the environment but it keeps your system clean and clear.
8. Moving Truck “Relocates” an Apartment Sprinkler Head
When your new tenants are moving more than just their furniture, things can get a little… slippery.
Whether it’s your home or apartment complex that needs a quick fix, sprinkler heads can be replaced fairly easily.
Making sure to replace a broken or “relocated” sprinkler is vital to the system as a whole. Leaving it un-repaired can leave you with a spewing funnel of uncontrollable water. This can lead to dead grass and a huge water bill.
Besides broken sprinkler heads, maintaining the system through all the changing seasons can be the best way to keep it in tip top shape.
9. Freeze Pops
Freeze pops or frozen pipes? Save those for the summer fun! Winterizing your sprinkler system at home or your business can save you from a hefty bill from your handyman or local plumber.
First time home owners are number one on the list for being at risk of this happening. With all the moving, setting up utilities, and unpacking, things below the surface are easy to get away from you.
No worries, insulating your pipes and taking extra precautions before the season comes is the best way to prepare. Disconnecting the garden hose and running hot water through can drastically reduce the chances as well.
10. Soft Water
Last on our list of most common plumbing disasters is water softening!
According to an Angie’s List article, Water softeners soften the water by removing minerals such as calcium and magnesium and replacing them with a softer mineral – sodium or potassium. Soft water can also make your hair and skin look and feel healthier because hard water can dry them out.
Because they are so nice to have, it can be such a bummer when your water turns hard. Who doesn’t want hydrated hair and skin. Not to mention the white film it leaves on dishes after letting them air dry.
Look out for changes in the taste of your water, soap not lathering during a shower, laundry coming out scratchy, or build up around pipes. These are key signs you may have some sodium build up clogging up your softener.
Metro-Detroit Plumbing Problems Hotline:
Location: White Lake, Michigan
Phone: (248) 363-5864
Location: Hartland, Michigan
Phone: (810) 632-7420
Location: Fowlerville, Michigan
Phone: (517) 223-4360
Email: [email protected]
Request a FREE repair quote with Premier Plumbing, Inc. online at premierplumbing-mi.com/get-a-plumbing-quote/