Clear Plumbing Problems That Might Be Dangerous to Ignore
By Brian Sodoma, for Winnipeg Supply Service Experts
As we move into winter, many homeowners often prioritize checking their furnaces and any other HVAC systems, often forgetting about other important utilities. While protecting your heating is always a good investment, your home’s plumbing system may need help now and then too.
You may want to consider an annual plumbing inspection. After all, plumbing problems are often only found when something breaks, but it’s likely that your system may have been giving you warning signs for a while. To minimize your risk of needing serious repairs, here are a few often overlooked signs that your plumbing system needs immediate attention.
1. Low Water Pressure
If the water pressure in your entire home decreases suddenly, that’s often because there’s an issue with the main water line. It might be a failure somewhere inside the main line to your home or a pipe within it, explained BJ Richardson, a Winnipeg Supply Service Experts plumbing manager.
However, if the drop in pressure is isolated to one room, like the bathroom or kitchen, it might be a fixture problem. It may be a simple fix, like replacing your faucet aerator or addressing a water heater issue. Or it might be something a little more complex, like a supply line leading to that room.
“I always tell people to review their water bill too. If these pressure drops happen at the same time when you suddenly see a higher bill, there might be a deeper problem,” Richardson said. “It’s helpful to check your water meter to see if it’s running even when no appliances are turned on. That’s also pointing to a leak somewhere.”
Occasionally a sudden drop in water pressure is in fact because of a problem with the municipal supply – if that’s the problem, that is easily resolved with help from a booster pump.
2. A “Sewer” Smell in the Home
“While clogs in the kitchen or bathroom sink can sometimes lead to unpleasant odors because of debris, a persistent sulfur or rotten egg smell suggests a problem. Drains include traps and vents inside them and one of these components can clog. If the smell persists, you may have to consider a clogged sewer line or even a sewer gas leak. Diagnosing and fixing these problems is best left to the professionals, Richardson said.
Don’t forget that even though propane and natural gas carry a distinctive smell, they are frequently mistaken as a sewer smell. When in doubt, reach out to a professional.”
3. Discolored Pipes
Visible wear and discoloration on exposed pipes represent other signs that can be easy to overlook. If you’re in the basement or near exposed piping, it’s useful to examine the pipes in plain view. Noticeable wear and discoloration usually indicates the presence of a leak.
Most discoloration happens in areas where two pipes join. Overlooking discoloration is particularly dangerous when it comes to the main water supply because they are pressurized, Richardson explained. If the plumbing breaks, it can start flooding your home very quickly.
With certain pipes, discoloration is in fact caused by different chemicals municipal services employ for water treatment.
4. Poor Drainage
It is tempting for homeowners to solve all clogs with liquid drain cleaner, but this is usually only a temporary solution that might damage your plumbing system. While we’ve all heard of clogs caused by hair, the truth is hair is not the true culprit. Items such as cleaning supplies, toothpaste, hand soaps and even the oil produced from our skin create a layer of scum on the drain walls that grabs onto hair and other debris, which most liquid drain cleaners won’t clear away. Using a drain machine or snake is our recommendation for the most effective way to clear out this type of slow drain or clog. Usually, if there is considerable debris inside the pipes below the sink, clearing it out usually clears up the problem. But if it doesn’t, it could suggest a more significant issue.
“The thing you ought to keep an eye on is if multiple drains are experiencing blockages, and the problem doesn’t go away itself even after you clean the drain under those sinks,” said Brian McMasters, a Winnipeg Supply Service Experts division plumbing manager. “The sewer line may need to be cleaned, but in some plumbing systems, we also come across tree roots that grow into and crack a sewer line. Handling this kind of situation is obviously a bigger project and requires trenching down to the exact location of the leak to repair it.”
5. Damp or Flooded Spots in Your Front or Back Yard
Regularly inspect the exterior of your house, as well as your yard. It’s a good idea to try and take a look every week. Many times, a broken underground water or irrigation line leak, or even a sewer main line leak, presents itself gradually, when lots of water has already leaked out. Search for soft, sunken spots in your yard as these could be a sign there’s a hidden issue.
“You also want to be vigilent for things including sudden green patches in typically dry or yellow areas of the lawn,” mentioned McMasters. “In many cases, that’s a sign there’s a problem a trained plumber can solve.”
Discover more about avoiding common issues with plumbing systems and get expert help at Winnipeg Supply Service Experts.
