In a world where we can really be annoyed by just about anything, there’s truly something to be said for the most common plumbing issues we encounter at home.
Seriously – that dripping faucet is like the heart under the floorboards in “The Tell Tale Heart,” and it’s enough to drive me mad.
I can’t be the only one.We’ve all run into these plumbing issues, meaning we’ve all dealt with the aggravation and frustration that comes along with them.
Some of these plumbing problems you can solve at home, otherwise it’s best to consult your local plumber in McKinney, TX for help with plumbing problems.
We came up with a list of the most common plumbing repairs you might have to undertake in the home – think of it as a catch-all of plumbing frustration. Here are the 10 most common plumbing issues!
1. Dripping Faucets: Things that go DRIP in the Night
As we mentioned above, this is among the most nerve-crunching common plumbing issues you’re going to run into. Not only is the sound incredibly annoying – you’re wasting a ton of water in the process, in some cases HUNDREDS of gallons over the course of a year.
You probably couldn’t find a person that HASN’T dealt with a dripping faucet at some point, so at least we’re all in the struggle together.
Fixing a dripping faucet is one of the most common plumbing repairs you can make – usually, the culprit is a defective washer inside or around the faucet. With the right set of tools you can take care of this yourself – if not, look to a plumber for help with your plumbing problems.
2. Slow Draining Sinks: The Slow Burn…Ahem, I Mean Drain
Another one of the most common plumbing repairs you might find yourself making is fixing a slow drain. Let’s face it – there’s nothing worse than having dinner guests over and greeting them with a sink that more closely resembles a full (and dirty) bathtub.
If you’re one of those people that thinks they can flush just about anything down the drain (we won’t tell, promise), this section is for you. Most likely, something is clogging up the line – usually either food, fat, or paper. Luckily, there’s a few different home remedies to employ here to solve these common plumbing issues. Any combination of these will probably get the job done:
- Plunger
- Snake
- Plumbing Chemicals
- Baking Soda & Vinegar
If you’re still out of luck, there’s plenty of options in McKinney, TX that can help you solve these plumbing issues.
3. Clogged Bath Drains: When Your Shower Turns Into a Bath
There’s nothing more relaxing than a nice, steamy shower – until the tub begins to fill up around your ankles and you realize you’re marinating in your own dirt and grime.
Alright, maybe that’s a tad dramatic but there’s no denying a clogged drain is one of the more annoying common plumbing issues you’ll endure.
The most likely offender here is a combination of hair, soap, and body oils – the three work together to form a formidable tag-team against your drain operating properly.
To combat this, consider a baking soda and vinegar mixture to pour down the drain. You can also use home plumbing chemical products, as well as shower accessories that catch hair before it heads into the drain. Read more about how you can clean your own drain, here.
This is one of the most common plumbing repairs that plumbers get called out for, so don’t be afraid if you need to enlist a little bit of help from a plumber.
4. The Clogged Toilet: A Living Nightmare
I don’t need to give you any sort of verbose, catchy intro for these types of plumbing problems.
There is, quite literally, nothing worse than a clogged toilet – and they tend to always show up at the most inopportune times.
You know, like when the in-laws are over for a weekend for the first time…not that that’s ever happened to me or anything.
The good news is that, almost always, this can be solved with a plunger and a little bit of elbow grease. Tougher clogs may require a snake though – and we can’t stress this enough, things could get messy.
These are the exact kinds of plumbing issues you want to consider calling in the experts for. After all, who wants to spend their Saturday covered in God knows what?
5. The Running Toilet: A Common Annoyance
Even the most experienced DIYer when it comes to fixing plumbing problems may meet their match when it comes to a running toilet.
To go along with that all-too-familiar sound, this plumbing issue wastes up to 200 gallons of water each day it goes unsolved. It’s a drain on the environment, not to mention your sanity.
If it’s the first time, this common plumbing issue can probably be solved with a toilet repair kit that you can pick up at a local hardware store. If the problem keeps persisting, there might be something more serious at play.
Your best bet is to call in a professional for a toilet that consistently runs, or seems to be immune against your home fixes.
6. Faulty Water Heater: A Cold, Dark Morning
Remember that steamy shower I was speaking of earlier? Ever been in the midst of it, only to have the water turn ice cold on you?
It’s better than coffee as far as a wake up goes – trust me.
Anyway, if this happens chances are your water heater is on its way out, and while this is one of the most common plumbing repairs made, it’s probably not one you can handle on your own.
Usually, your water heater is one of those big ticket plumbing issues – meaning unless you get it taken care of quickly, by someone that knows what they’re doing, you could be in line for costly water heater repairs and replacement.
Major plumbing problems are best handled by the licensed professionals, especially because of Texas plumbing code compliance.
7. Low Water Pressure: “Help! It Take me an Hour to Shower!”
If you’re anything like me, there is nothing worse than a lack of water pressure in the shower.
Seriously – I will make hotel and lodging decisions based on this. It’s not fun.
More often than not, your low water pressure is a result of pipes that have become worn down over time. You might have a leak, or there might just be some sediment building up in them.
If you consider yourself somewhat of an expert, you can try and solve these plumbing issues yourself. Usually, a nice vinegar bath for either the aerator or the shower head itself will clean it out and have you good to go.
Otherwise, consider calling in the professionals.
8. Jammed Garbage Disposal: One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s
I can’t live without a garbage disposal.
At this point, I’ve become so used to having it around, that if I didn’t I’d be dealing with way more major plumbing problems than I actually am.
Unfortunately, these handy gadgets have a propensity to clog up – and when they do, they can throw your entire system into chaos.
Sometimes a simple flick of the rest button is enough to get things working again, but severe jams may require you to actually take the unit apart. An allen wrench is useful here, and it’ll give you a good look at what’s going on inside.
Me? I’d prefer to just call a plumber.
9. Leaky Pipes: An Annoyance as Old as Your House
Who among us hasn’t had to deal with leaky pipes at some point? One of the most common plumbing issues, leaky pipes can quickly turn into more than just a few droplets of water inside your cabinet. Left untreated, this can become a major plumbing problem that can eventually wreck an entire room.
If you’re lucky and have caught your problem at the beginning, congratulations! Usually some tape or compound at the point of leaking (usually around the pipe joint) will get the job done. If you’re farther along with your leakage, I would suggest getting a professional involved before it becomes too much to handle.
10. Sewer System Backup: Stage Five Catastrophe
If we want to talk major plumbing problems, look no further than a sewer system backup.
Where do we start? A sewer system backup is among the smelliest, nastiest plumbing issues you’ll ever have to encounter – and it often costs a fortune to fix. Where these plumbing problems really get hairy (no pun intended) is figuring out who really is at fault – or in most cases, who has the responsibility of fixing it?
The rule of thumb is basically this – if it’s on your property, it’s your problem. If it’s out in the street, the local utilities should be handling it.
Once it’s backed up, it’s hard to solve this plumbing issue on your own. But there are a few things you can do daily to cut back the chances of it happening to you:
- Watch what you flush
- Have a professional inspect regularly for unruly tree roots
- Replace a faulty line at the first sign of damage
Nobody can fully prepare for these common plumbing issues all at once, but with enough patience and skill, your home will be well protected.
