Clear Plumbing Red Flags That Might Be Dangerous to Ignore
By Brian Sodoma, for Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing
As we head into winter, many homeowners tend to prioritize tuning up their boilers and any other HVAC systems, potentially forgetting about other important systems. While maintaining your heating is always smart, your home’s plumbing system might need professional service too.
You and your family will want to consider a regular plumbing checkup. After all, plumbing problems are often only found when something breaks, but chances are your system could have been trying to alert you to the trouble. To minimize your risk of needing serious repairs, here are a few often overlooked signs that the plumbing or fixes could use some professional attention.
1. Low Water Pressure
If your home’s water pressure falls suddenly, that’s a clear indicator of an issue with the main water line. It may be a failure somewhere along the main line as well as a pipe within it, explained BJ Richardson, a Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing plumbing manager.
However, if your water pressure problem is restricted to one room, like the bathroom or kitchen, it might be a fixture problem. It may be a simple fix, like swapping out a broken faucet aerator or addressing a water heater issue. Or it could be something a little more complex, like a supply line leading to that room.
“I always encourage families to look at their water bill too. If these pressure drops happen at the same time when you’re also faced with a higher bill, there may be a deeper problem,” Richardson said. “It’s smart to check your water meter to see if it’s running even when no appliances are turned on. That’s another way we determine you have a leak somewhere.”
Sometimes a sudden change in pressure starts at the municipal supply – in these cases, that is easily corrected with a booster pump.
2. A “Sewer” Odor That Won’t Go Away
“While a clog in a plumbing fixture like your sink can sometimes cause unpleasant odors because of debris, a persistent rotten egg smell suggests a problem. Drains include traps and vents inside them and either one can fail. If the smell lingers, you could be dealing with a blocked sewer or even a sewer gas leak. Identifying and addressing these problems is best left to the professionals, Richardson said.
Keep in mind that while propane and natural gas possess a distinctive smell, they are frequently mistaken as a sewer smell. When in doubt, call a professional.”
3. Discolored Pipes
Visible wear and discoloration on exposed pipes are other signs that can be easy to overlook. If you’re in a room with exposed plumbing, it’s useful to check all the piping exposed to the open. Noticeable wear and discoloration usually indicates the presence of a leak.
Most discoloration happens in areas where two pieces of piping meet. Failing to notice discoloration can be problematic when it comes to supply lines because they are pressurized, Richardson explained. If the plumbing breaks, it can release a substantial amount of water into your home very quickly.
For some sections of the piping, discoloration can be caused by the different chemicals municipalities use to sanitize and treat the water.
4. Poor Drainage
It is tempting for homeowners to remedy this issue with liquid drain cleaner, but those chemicals are usually only a temporary option and can potentially damage your plumbing system. While we’ve all heard of clogs caused by hair, the reality is hair is not the clog’s culprit. Items such as cleaning supplies, toothpaste, hand soaps and even the natural oils from our skin create a layer of scum on the drain walls that accumulates hair and other foreign objects, something most liquid drain cleaners won’t remove. Employing a mechanical snake or drain machine is the most effective way to take care of this type of slow drain or clog. Often, if there is considerable debris inside the pipes below the sink, clearing it out usually takes care of the problem. But if that fails, it could mean you need to look for a more significant issue.
“The thing you should keep an eye on is if multiple drains are experiencing blockages, and the problem doesn’t clear up itself despite cleaning the drain under those sinks,” said Brian McMasters, a Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing division plumbing manager. “The sewer line might also be in need of cleaning, but in some situations, we also come across tree roots that slowly damage and crack a sewer line. Repairing a main sewer line is obviously more involved and requires trenching down to the exact location of the leak to repair it.”
5. Wet Spots in Your Front or Back Yard
Regularly inspect around your house, including your yard. It’s wise to take care of this every week. Many times, a broken underground water or irrigation line leak, or even a sewer main line leak, shows itself gradually, once a significant amount of water has already leaked out. Keep an eye out for soft, sunken spots in the grass as these could be a sign there’s a hidden issue.
“You also want to notice things like unexplained green patches in typically dry or yellow areas of the lawn,” noted McMasters. “Sometimes, that’s a sign you’re dealing with a problem that needs an expert’s attention.”
Discover more about avoiding common issues with plumbing systems and get expert help at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.
