Common Plumbing Problems and How to Fix Them

Plumbing issues in your home or office can be a nightmare and cannot be ignored. As a property owner you want everything to be shipshape and operate smoothly whether your home is old or new!

Be it a broken pipe, a leaky faucet, or a backed-up toilet, plumbing issues need immediate and proper action.

In this blog we will talk about the most common plumbing issues and simple plumbing tips you can use to fix them.

Leaky Faucets

Leaky faucets are one of the most common plumbing problems in any home or office. It could be a damaged washer, or O-ring, or a clogged filter behind the leak, and it could happen no matter how old or new your property is. A leaky faucet could also result from improper installation, hard water corrosion, and dried out seals. While a tiny drip may not seem much in itself, imagine how much water you could be wasting if you leave it be for days or weeks.

The best way to fix a leaky faucet is to replace the damaged part either yourself or by calling a professional plumber. Any local hardware store sells o-rings, and even faucet handles, which you can change if you feel confident. Before you begin to replace any damaged part make sure you turn off the water supply feeding into the faucet. Make sure the new parts you purchase are designed for your specific faucet type. However, if you don’t want to change the faucet yourself, call a professional plumber to repair a leaky faucet for you.  

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains are another very common plumbing issue. It could be your sink, your bathtub, the toilet or even the shower drain that’s clogged. Now there could be a number of reasons why your drains are clogged, from improper installation, soap scum and hardwater salt deposits to grease and foreign objects like toys, bottle caps, or even roots of trees in the backyard.

To unclog a drain, you can use a drain snake or a plunger, and this works most of the time. Plungers help in quick, easy unclogging and in most cases they fix a clogged drain without any fuss. However, there are times when this simple solution may not work. Another way to unclog your drain is to use a chemical drain cleaner. But remember that strong chemicals could cause permanent damage to your pipes, so if your drain is not clearing easily it might be a good idea to call in a professional plumber to fix the issue for good and for long-term plumbing maintenance.

Sewer Line Back-up or Running Toilets

There’s nothing more disgusting than a backed-up toilet, and it’s a plumbing problem at home that cannot be ignored especially as it’s a health hazard. Meanwhile, if you have a running toilet it could waste a lot of water and inflate your water bill. A backed up toilet could be caused by any kind of blockage in the sewer line such as foreign objects, damaged pipes, or roots of trees. A running toilet could be caused by a faulty flapper valve or a damaged fill valve.

While you might be tempted to test your home improvement skills, a faulty toilet and a backed up sewer line need professional attention. To fix a sewer line, you need a sewer line snake to check for blockages and remove them. The best thing to do is call a professional plumber in Alameda or wherever you are, so that they can do a complete check and prevent problems in the future too. Sewer line backups can really damage your property leading to costly repairs so a professional plumber is a better idea than fixing it yourself.

Replacing a worn out or damaged flapper or a fill valve in your toilet may not require a lot of expertise, it’s a good idea to have a professional plumber do the repairs and get all the toilets in the property in proper working order, even if it’s something as simple as a float height adjustment. At Albion, we have experienced plumbers who can diagnose and fix any plumbing issue you may have.

Low Water Pressure

Imagine that you’re set to take a nice shower after a long day but what you get instead is a slow trickle. Low water pressure can be frustrating and could result from many reasons, usually stemming from lack of plumbing maintenance. There could be hardwater salts deposits, corrosion, or maybe a leak somewhere in the main water supply line coming in to your property.  

Obviously, you would need to fix the plumbing issue because low water pressure is not something you can live with. To begin with, check your pipes for salt buildup or corrosion. If it’s the shower that has low pressure check the showerhead or the faucet’s aerator and clean any buildup, sediment, or corrosion. This requires some experience and skill, so it’s best to call a professional plumber near you. If this doesn’t work then you might have to replace the water pipeline.

Faulty Water Heater

A damaged water heater can be quite the disaster, especially during winters. The lack of hot water in your home could be for a number of reasons like a faulty thermostat, a malfunctioning heating element, or salt buildup over the heating element. To get a nice hot bath going again, you need to flush out the hardwater salt buildup or replace whichever is the damaged part.

But water heaters are complex pieces of equipment and it’s always better to hire a professional plumber to fix it for you, especially if you need to replace a faulty part. Plumbers at Albion have a lot of experience with all kinds of water heaters and can help you out quickly.

Burst Pipes

Your pipes could have cracked or burst due to extreme temperatures especially during freezing weather, high water pressure, or just because they are too old and corroded. Whatever the reason, a burst pipe can cause a lot of damage to the property and also run up your water bill. Obviously then, you must replace these pipes immediately and the best way to make sure it’s done properly is to call in professionals.

A good plumber will not only fix the broken pipes but will also insulate them and will check your water pressure and set it to optimum levels so that it does not happen again. In fact, you must consider calling a reliable plumber for regular inspections and maintenance.

Damaged Garbage Disposal

Food waste buildup, a damaged motor or clogged drains are some of the main reasons why your garbage disposal is not working well or has broken down completely. To prevent this from happening, stop putting hard or fibrous waste down the disposal and run some cold water down the drain when you run the motor to grind your food waste. Remember never to pour hot water into the disposal because that could result in the grease blocking your disposal. If you’re not able to get the garbage disposal going again or need to replace a faulty motor, call in expert plumbers for a quick and reliable solution.

Ready to Get Going?

We hope this blog has been helpful and given you plumbing tips into fixing common plumbing problems. Maintaining your property’s plumbing in good running shape is tiring but a necessary chore especially if you want to prevent common plumbing issues from escalating. Regular maintenance and equipment checks go a long way in saving you time, money, and discomfort. Most common issues are simple DIY plumbing tasks and can be fixed easily with material from the local hardware store. But if you’re facing something more complex or need emergency help with plumbing problems, call Albion Plumbing and Rooter. We’re available 24/7 to provide reliable and efficient plumbing services.