Plumbing issues can arise at any time. While some common problems like a faucet that keeps dripping aren’t that serious, other issues constitute a plumbing emergency and require immediate attention from a professional. This article will provide an overview of some of the most common plumbing emergencies so you know what to watch out for and when to call in the help of an emergency plumbing service.
1. Pipe Leak
One plumbing issue that you never want to ignore is a leak due to the risk of it causing extensive damage and potential mold growth inside your house. Some leaks will be immediately obvious, but a tiny pinhole leak in a water line hidden behind a wall or inside a ceiling is something you may not spot at first. Some signs to look for that can indicate you have a plumbing leak include wet spots on drywall, brown or yellow staining, wallpaper that’s started peeling away or paint that’s bubbling. A spiking water bill without a known cause is also a red flag that should be further evaluated.
If you’re facing a major leak, you should immediately shut your water off by closing the valve on your main water line. This valve is usually in the basement or crawl space right where the water line enters the house through the foundation, but it could also be outside just next to the foundation. When trying to close the valve, be careful not to put too much pressure on it or you could potentially break the water line and cause a much bigger problem. If you can’t find the valve or it doesn’t easily close, contact the city water department so they can shut your water off from the street.
2. Leaky Water Heater
Older water heaters are prone to leaking due to the tank rusting and corroding over time. The biggest concern if your water heater is severely weakened by rust and corrosion is that the tank can suddenly rupture and cause a major flood that can do extensive water damage. The reason this can happen is that the hot water inside the tank is at high pressure and essentially exerts a large amount of force on the tank.
If you ever see water dripping down the side of your water heater tank or notice the floor underneath it is wet, shut the unit off immediately. Turn on your shower and let the hot water run until it gets cold. This step helps to reduce the chances of the tank rupturing since the tank will then be full of cold water, which reduces the pressure inside the tank. It also allows you to then drain the tank yourself if needed should you not be able to get a plumber out to your house immediately.
Whether you are going to drain the tank yourself or not, you should also make sure to shut off the water to the unit by closing the valve where the cold water pipe connects to the top of the tank. This way you won’t have to deal with nearly as big of a flood should the tank rupture. If you don’t take this step and the tank does rupture, you’ll have a much bigger issue to deal with since water will just keep flowing into the tank and then dumping straight out onto the floor.
3. Sewer System Backing Up
Having your sewer system back up can be a nightmare since it results in sewage flowing out of some of the drains on the lowest level of your house. If your sewer line is clogged and you shower, you’ll typically end up with around 20 gallons of wastewater as well as some actual waste and toilet paper flooding the area around a floor drain or coming up out of a shower drain. Not only does that mean you’ll have a nasty mess to clean up, but it can also potentially make you sick if you don’t wear protective gear while cleaning up since sewage can contain various pathogens.
A backed-up sewer system is a situation where you need to contact an emergency plumbing service. That’s because it typically means you won’t be able to use the toilet or anything else without it resulting in additional wastewater coming out of your drains.
Backups most commonly happen due to the underground sewer line being clogged. In this case, a plumbing company should be able to quickly fix the issue by unclogging the pipe with a drain auger or by hydrojetting it. A backup can also happen because tree roots are growing inside the sewer line or it’s otherwise damaged, in which case you’ll either need to have the pipe repaired or replaced depending on the extent of the damage.
4. Slow Toilets and Drains
While having all of the drains and toilets in your house suddenly be slow may not seem like an emergency, a plumber needs to check it out as soon as possible. This is typically a sign that the sewer line is partially clogged. If you just ignore this issue and continue using your plumbing as normal, the sewer line is highly likely to become fully clogged and back up, quickly becoming a plumbing emergency rather than a mere inconvenience.
5. Frozen Pipe
A frozen pipe is also an emergency that requires immediate professional attention. If your house has copper pipes, they could freeze and burst. Water expands when it freezes, and as it turns to ice, it puts so much pressure on the copper that the pipe eventually splits. Unless the entire section of the pipe is frozen where it bursts, you could end up with a fairly major flood even if you were to immediately shut your water off.
If you turn a faucet or shower on during the winter and no water comes out, one of the sections of the pipe that supplies that fixture is likely frozen. Shut off your water to minimize the amount of flooding should the pipe burst.
Unfortunately, determining where the frozen pipe is can be extremely difficult and usually requires the help of a plumber. If you can locate the frozen pipe, you can try to start thawing it out by using a hair dryer. Nonetheless, you should still contact a plumber just so they can also inspect the pipe for any damage and ensure it isn’t leaking or at risk of starting to leak.
6. Toilet Won’t Stop Running
A toilet that occasionally runs isn’t necessarily an emergency, but it’s still something you want to get checked out fairly soon due to how much water it can waste. What is an emergency is if your toilet suddenly won’t stop running at all since this can easily waste more than 4,000 gallons of water in just a single day and cause a massive spike in your water bill. Be sure to close the valve on the water line next to the toilet so the toilet stops running. If you only have one toilet and can’t get a plumber out immediately, you can still use it as needed. Simply turn the water on when you need to use the toilet and then shut it off again after you’ve flushed.
If you’re dealing with any plumbing emergencies in the Eugene or Springfield, OR, area, Pacific Plumbing & Rooter Inc is the company to turn to. We’re available 24/7, and our team has what it takes to quickly fix whatever issue you’re facing. Whether you’re dealing with a leak or a clogged sewer line or need any other plumbing or sewer service, like trenchless sewer repair, contact our team of experts today.
