Plumbing problems in your home can cause costly property damage, destroy your plumbing fixtures, disrupt your daily routine, and force you to spend your hard-earned cash on unplanned repairs. But timely discovery and repair of those problems can prevent all of that.
However, to fix your home’s plumbing problems before they escalate into costly emergencies—whether you’re a homeowner or relying on Whitetail rentals and support—you must know how to detect those issues early and solve them efficiently. This guide explains how to quickly address plumbing malfunctions before they cause damage to your home.
Common plumbing problems in homes and how to fix them
The most common plumbing issues in homes are dripping faucets, running toilets, leaking toilets, a burst pipe in need of repair, clogged drains, and low water pressure. In this article, we explain how to tackle three of them: leaky pipes, overflowing toilets, and clogged drains.
Quick fixes for a leaking pipe
Hidden leaks in your home will often leave the following signs: peeling paint, musty odors, sounds of dripping water, high water bills, discolored walls or ceilings, warped flooring, and mold. If you see any of these signs in your home, you probably have a leaking pipe.
Once you have narrowed down to the general location of the leak, inspect the exposed pipes in the area. If the pipes are wet, wipe them dry and wait to see where the water will emerge from. After discovering the leak, follow these steps to fix it.
Turn off the water supply to the area, using the dedicated shut-off valve for the pipe or fixture. If it doesn’t have a dedicated shut-off valve, turn off the water supply at your home’s main water shut-off valve. Follow these steps to repair the damaged pipe:
Clean the pipe to remove any dirt on it and leave it to dry. Fix the leak using any of these methods.
- Apply self-fusing tape: Stretch the tape and wrap it tightly around the pipe, ensuring the edges overlap to create a watertight seal.
- Apply epoxy putty: Mix the putty, apply it to the leak, and let it harden. Ensure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Use a pipe repair clamp: If you can’t shut the water off, use this method. Simply fit the clamp over the pipe, along with the rubber padding, and tighten the screws.
Quick fixes for an overflowing toilet
If your toilet is overflowing, it is usually because of a clog inside the drain. To fix this problem, you must first stop more water from flowing into the toilet bowl.
- Remove the toilet tank lid, lift and secure the float arm, or push down the flapper, to stop the flow of water.
- Close the shut-off valve beside the toilet by turning it clockwise. You should find it on the wall behind the toilet seat.
- Wait for the water inside the toilet bowl to drain before using a plunger to dislodge the clog.
- If there is human waste inside the toilet or the water refuses to drain, insert a wire hanger (straightened out) into the toilet drain and try to push the blockage out of the way.
- Remember to wear rubber gloves and a face mask when doing this.
Quick fixes for a clogged drain
Whether it occurs in your sink, shower, toilet, or bathtub, a clogged drain may be one of the most disruptive plumbing problems to have in your home. Here is how to fix a clogged drain quickly:
- You need a plunger for this step. There are two types of plungers: cup plungers and flange plungers. Fange plungers are for toilets.
- Plungers are best for clogs that occur near the sink or toilet drain opening. You may have to plunge the drain several times to dislodge the clog.
- If the clog is far from the drain opening, a plunger will not work. Instead, use a straightened-out wire hanger to prod the clog free.
- You may also use a manual drain snake or toilet auger. Drain snakes are for moderate blockages. Because they go farther into the drains, toilet augers are for serious clogs.
When to call a professional plumber in Lyons, IL
The steps discussed in this post should be viewed as stop-gaps and not as final solutions to your home’s plumbing issues. Situations will always arise where you will need the know-how of an expert plumber. When should you call a Lyons, IL plumber instead of trying to fix a plumbing problem yourself?
Call a licensed plumber if:
- You can’t locate the source of the water leak in your home.
- Your attempts to fix the problem are unsuccessful.
- There is extensive water damage to your home, with signs of mold growth.
- An overflowing toilet is discharging raw sewage into your home.
- Your sewer line is backing up, or you suspect that your main sewer line is blocked.
- There is a risk of electrocution because the leaked water is in contact with electricity.
- You simply don’t know the cause of a problem or how to fix it.
Also, even when you can fix the plumbing issues by yourself, a professional plumber can help you determine the immediate and remote causes of the problem. An experienced plumber in Lyons, IL can advise you on how to avoid a recurrence of the problem.
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Are you in need of some plumbing assistance in the Lyons, IL area? We can help! Call us today at 708-801-6530.
