Plumbing is an essential part of any building. Providing valuable services such as ensuring clean water, disposing of waste, and maintaining proper sanitation, your plumbing is the lifeblood of your home.
Plumbing also adds strength and structural integrity to a house by preventing leaks and water damage. Keeping plumbing in good condition is a vital part of ensuring the health and safety of your family as well as proper function of your home. Failing to maintain your plumbing and call for repairs when needed results in several potential dangers and consequences that affect you and your home. Some common problems include the following.
Leaking
A leak found somewhere in your plumbing system can cause significant water damage to surrounding areas such as walls, flooring, and even furniture and fixtures. Leaks can also lead to dangerous mold and mildew growth, which can result in potential respiratory issues and other health hazards.
Clogs
Failure to properly maintain pipes and other plumbing fixtures can result in clogged drains and sewer lines that cause sewer backups. These unsanitary conditions are extremely unsafe for you and your loved ones to be around. Staying on top of keeping pipes clear and flowing smoothly will prevent dangerous backups and standing water in and around your home.
Corrosion
Corroded pipes in your plumbing system cause leaks and weaken the overall structural integrity of your system, making them even more susceptible to breakdowns and even bursting.
Reduced Water Pressure Issues
Clogged and corroded pipes lead to reduced water pressure in your sinks, showers, and tubs, making it difficult to perform the simplest household tasks. Maintaining the structural integrity of pipes will ensure that you have enough water flowing into your house to clean, wash, and cook properly.
Damage From Freezing Pipes
Plumbing damage can occur due to freezing pipes, especially if pipes aren’t properly insulated to withstand subzero temperatures. Burst pipes not only cost significant money to repair, but the resulting water damage that can occur from this event will potentially cost you thousands of dollars to repair and replace walls, flooring, and fixtures in your home.
As you can clearly see, committing to a maintenance schedule and repairing plumbing issues as needed will be an integral part of keeping your home and plumbing in good condition. As you consider how to best go about keeping this aspect of your house well-maintained, it’s important to know what kinds of plumbing issues are quick and simple fixes, and when you’ll need to call a professional in to tackle the job.
When Is Professional Plumbing Intervention Needed?
Too often, homeowners try to cut costs by attempting to repair water issues themselves. However, this often ends up causing more damage that’s costly to repair. If you can’t properly diagnose the source of your water leak or issue, it’s best not to attempt to fix it yourself. Instead, reach out to a professional plumbing technician to diagnose and repair your problem. Here are some plumbing situations that may require you to call for assistance.
1. Clogged Floor Drains, Sinks, and Toilets
A clog will only worsen over time if it isn’t dealt with promptly. This kind of deep-seated issue needs the specialized tools and expertise of a plumbing professional, who can easily access sections of the pipe that you may not know about. Clearing these lines effectively will allow your plumbing to work more efficiently, saving you both time and money.
2. Constantly Dripping Faucets
At first glance, you may not think that a slow drip in a faucet is a big deal, but all of this escaping water really adds up over time. It’s not uncommon for a drippy faucet to waste as much as 3,000 gallons of water in one year — the equivalent of almost 200 showers! You’ll pay much more for water service than you will for a standard plumbing service call to get to the root cause of the problem.
3. Poor Water Pressure
Whether you’re experiencing poor water pressure from a single fixture or a widespread issue in your entire home plumbing system, it’s best to call in a professional to uncover the cause of the problem. This may involve cleaning out a single pipe leading to a bathroom faucet or a problem with the main line leading to your home. In either case, allowing a professional technician to handle the messy details of these repairs will get those fixtures flowing freely again.
4. Frozen or Burst Pipes
Attempting to patch or thaw frozen pipes on your own could result in catastrophic damage to your property. You’ll likely have to call in restoration specialists to handle these repairs while you deal with plumbing repairs as well, which is a significant and costly issue.
5. Renovation and Construction Projects
If you’re upgrading kitchen or bathroom spaces in your home, it’s a good idea to seek the professional advice and expertise of a plumber. They’ll help ensure that your new fixtures are in compliance with local building codes as well as provide you with the best plan for adding new lines of plumbing and fixtures to updated spaces.
6. Visible Leaks and Water Damage
Noticing signs of water staining, mold, and mildew are all indicators that there may be a leak in your plumbing system. Knowing where the issue originated will be a key part of making sure that you stop further damage from occurring.
7. Backed-Up Sewage or Standing Water
Backed-up basement or sewer water is a significant problem for many reasons. This type of water is teeming with bacteria and harmful microorganisms that can cause serious health issues for those who come in contact with it. Large volumes of water can also cause damage to your home’s foundation and weaken its structural integrity. This type of problem should only be left to a plumbing professional who has specialized tools and equipment to sanitize your space and deal with repairs in a timely and efficient manner.
8. Strange Odors or Smells Coming From Plumbing
Strange smells and odors coming from your plumbing can indicate issues with your sewer line or backflow devices. In these cases, it will be necessary to have a professional inspect your backflow devices and septic system to make sure that you don’t suffer the potentially catastrophic effects of having excess water flowing into your house.
We’ve Got You Covered!
Fusion Plumbing & Air has been serving valued clients in Tucson and the surrounding areas for a number of years. We provide valuable services related to plumbing maintenance and repair, water heater installation and service, heating and cooling service, drain cleaning, sewer line repair and inspections, and much more. We know how important it is to care for and protect your most valuable investment — your home. Let us help you with the maintenance and repair services that will keep your house in tip-top condition. Contact us today for more information and to make an appointment!
