Six Warning Signs You Should Call a Professional Plumber

If you are a homeowner, you know that the cost of repairs can be high. If you let water leaks sit, or other plumbing issues continue to build up in your home, what might have started as a quick and less expensive fix can rapidly turn into an issue that requires immediate attention.

Are there leaks in your home, frozen pipes leading to a burst pipe due to the colder weather, a lack of hot water from a broken water heater, a clogged toilet, a broken faucet, or unexplained low water pressure? Get these issues repaired before they cause more damage by calling a professional emergency plumber at Vaughan Comfort Services.

What to Do Before You Call a Plumber

If you are about to call a professional plumber to address a plumbing emergency, the first thing to do is immediately turn off the water so you can properly diagnose the situation. While plumbing emergencies can happen to anyone at any time, some repairs may not be as bad as they look at first blush and just need a DIY approach.

Sometimes, you can resolve low water pressure by simply cleaning the faucet or showerhead or checking the water meter valve. A leaky faucet in the kitchen could require simple tightening. A clogged toilet may just require the use of a plunger to push the clog free. Such fixes may not call for an emergency plumber.

Sometimes, you only need to shut off the water to the specific appliance that is leaking. If the issue is a leaky or dripping faucet or washing machine, you may be able to simply turn it off at that specific fixture. If the issue cannot be definitively identified, or the fixture in question does not have a clear shutoff valve, you may need to turn off the house water supply from the main water line at the water meter. You and your family should know where all the water shutoff valves are and how to turn them on and off.

After the water has been shut off, you need to determine the severity of the problem. A leaky toilet or overflowing toilet, for example, can be remediated by turning off the water. The running toilet should cease and prevent further damage. As long as you don’t flush, the issue is not immediate. Plumbing issues like these may require a service call, but they are not emergencies. This can save you money, as calling for an emergency plumber is more expensive than placing a standard service call to your local plumbing company.

At other times, plumbing issues could require an emergency plumber. Broken pipes that empty gallons of water into your home rapidly, for example, can cause thousands of dollars worth of water damage. It is important to address these problems quickly before too much water damage occurs. If you cannot address the plumbing issues yourself, and they risk causing real damage or health problems, emergency plumbing repair services are in order.

Signs You Need to Call a Plumber

Some plumbing problems clearly indicate that you need help from a professional plumber. Situations like a sulfur-like smell of natural gas in your house could indicate a dangerous gas leak. In such instances, you should evacuate your home immediately and call an emergency plumber, as well as the gas company. A smell of decay or rot in your home, or wastewater gurgling up in your basement, could have any number of causes. It could represent a sewer line backup from a major clog from sediment build-up or even tree roots invading the plumbing system. These issues require special tools to clear the blockage and make it safe to re-enter the home.

• Your Toilet Is Overflowing

A running toilet, while potentially not super noticeable, can be a major cause for concern for homeowners. Not only will it increase your water bill, but you may have damage to the seal between the toilet tank and bowl or the wax seal under the toilet. A good plumber can address the issue quickly. Sometimes they can repair a broken seal. If necessary, they can quickly install an all-new toilet, which can be less costly than dealing with major water damage when the problem goes undiagnosed and can prevent health risks to your family.

• No Running Water

If the issue is one of low water pressure, it might be an easy fix. Still, you should be concerned about a lack of water in your home. This could indicate greater, more expensive underlying issues. Sometimes these issues are small clogs in the aerator for the faucet that prevent a full, free flow of water. Trying to fix this sort of problem, however, presents the risk of damaging the faucet and causing additional leaks. A plumber can fix the problem quickly and easily.

• Burst Pipes

Broken pipes in your home are an all-hands-on-deck emergency. They can dump gallons of water into your home in seconds and can do real structural damage by soaking wood support beams. They can also result in mold issues inside your walls, presenting a major health risk to you and your family. In the worst-case scenarios, they can lead to full-blown flooding in your home. Broken pipes can be caused by years of pressure or freezing in the colder months.

When you notice moisture problems in your home that are unexplained, you may have broken pipes somewhere in your walls. Shut off the main valve to your water lines at the meter, and call for emergency plumbing services immediately. The longer you take to try to diagnose the problem yourself, the more you increase your water bills and heighten the damage to your home. A qualified South Jersey plumber has the experience and tools needed to address such problems for you.

• Dripping Faucet

A slow drip from a faucet may seem like nothing big to worry about, but over the course of a year, a faucet that drips 10 times per minute can cost you 500 gallons of water. That’s a significant hike in your water bills. Sometimes, dripping faucets or shower heads are easy fixes. They could require quickly tightening a gasket or some Teflon tape on the threads. Other times, however, you may have a cracked pipe on the brink of bursting, an incorrectly installed fixture, or clogs resulting in pressure build-up.

A dripping faucet might seem like a small issue, and sometimes it is. Still, it is always wise to contact a plumber if you are not sure how to address the problem yourself. Bringing in the pros to address your leaky faucet can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run, and save you even more when it comes to peace of mind.

• Leaking Water Heater

A leaking water heater could mean any number of issues, from a loose connection to a failing device that needs to be completely replaced. Often, the first sign of a leaky water heater is a loss of hot water in the home.

Check where the water leak occurs; is it in the top supply lines or at the bottom? Is your water heater sweating or weeping at the bottom with some dampness? Leaks from the bottom of a water heater are indications of piping or casing cracks, which are warning signs that it may be about to fail entirely.

Other warning signs from your water heater include rust around the heater or the pipes surrounding it, corrosion on the case, or unusual amounts of water near the water heater. Contact a qualified plumber to diagnose the problems and make any necessary fixes, from tightening the connections to a full replacement water heater installation.

• Water Is Slow to Drain

Slow drains can have many culprits and require different approaches, depending on the slow drain’s location. A clogged toilet or bathtub drain, for example, may be fixed by a plunger, while a sink drain or floor drain cleaning may require different approaches, from a drain snake to a professional auger.

The cause of clogs can range from hair to food and grease backups to dead rodents and bugs. One thing you should never attempt with a clogged drain is using chemical drain cleaners. While these may well work to clear the clog, they can also do irreparable damage to your pipes because of the harsh acids they use.

Why Call Vaughan Comfort Services for Your Plumbing Issues?

Calling for qualified, experienced, professional plumbing services in your home can not only save you money but can also protect your family from real health risks and dangers. From flooding damage to rancid standing water, backed-up sewage in your basement, and potentially deadly gas leaks, professional plumbers can quickly get to the root of any problem and start abatement procedures. They can unclog drains, remove tree roots from sewer systems, and replace entire fixtures from sinks to toilets to water heaters.

Don’t risk high water bills, damage to your home, and health risks to your family. Contact Vaughan Comfort Services and have the problem fixed right the first time.

Get Your Plumbing Problems Solved Immediately

Vaughan Comfort Services has been serving South Jersey for more than 80 years. We are a family business that prides itself on integrity, honesty, and building long-term community relationships. If you’re suffering from plumbing issues in your home, let us help.

Call 856-627-0303 or use our online contact form to schedule an appointment today.