It takes a lot of work to keep your home in good shape year after year, especially when it comes to things like the plumbing and electrical system. Since you can’t possibly be an expert at everything, it’s important to know a little bit about everything in your home and get professional help when it’s needed. Knowing when to call a plumbing repair service can save you thousands of dollars in water damage to your property and plumbing repairs. If you want to keep your Minneapolis, MN, home looking great inside and out, here are some of the most common plumbing problems you need to look out for.
Clogged Drains
If you’ve owned a home for long, chances are you’ve dealt with a clogged drain. This isn’t the worst problem to have, but it’s certainly an annoying one that requires the help of a plumbing repair service.
Most of the time, the drains in your home are clogged because of something you did. It could be that you’re putting the wrong food down your kitchen sink drain, or it could be a flushable wipe or some other product you’re flushing down your toilet. The bottom line is, it’s important to watch what you’re putting in your drains if you don’t want to deal with a clog. If you do get a clog, you need to have a plumbing repair service unclog your drain for you before it becomes a bigger problem that requires drain line replacement.
Running Toilets
Generally, toilets will stop running once they’ve filled back up with water. However, there may be times when you’ve been out of the bathroom for 15 or 20 minutes but you still notice your toilet running. While this might not seem like a huge deal, this is an important problem to fix right away because of how much it can cost. A running toilet can add hundreds to your monthly water bill, so fixing it will actually save you money.
In a lot of cases, you can fix a running toilet by replacing one or more of the parts inside the tank. However, that’s not always the case. If your running toilet is caused by certain problems, you may have to hire a plumbing repair service to replace it. Fortunately, replacing a toilet isn’t incredibly expensive and doesn’t take too long, so it’s not a big deal either way.
Leaks
When most people think of plumbing problems, leaks are one of the first things that come to mind. Of all the things you need to hire a plumbing repair service for right away, leaks are one of the most important. In some cases, you might need to call emergency plumber and shut your water off to prevent serious water damage.
The problem with leaks is that they continue to get worse if you don’t get them fixed. The longer you leave a leak, the bigger it’s going to get and the more it’s going to increase your water bill. Plus, larger leaks are more difficult to fix, which means you might need to have a large section of a water line or drain line replaced. Fortunately, you can avoid spending all that money by simply hiring a plumbing repair service at the first sign of a leak in your home.
Burst Pipes
One of the worst plumbing problems you can have in your Minneapolis, MN, home is a burst pipe. Unfortunately, burst pipes are also a fairly common problem in the area. If a pipe bursts in your home, you need to call an emergency plumbing repair service and shut off your water as soon as possible to prevent costly damage and water waste.
Pipes burst when they freeze and the water inside expands. Because of this, the pipes that tend to burst are the ones that are located on exterior walls or separate outdoor structures like garages. Since these areas aren’t as insulated as the interior walls in your home, the cold weather affects them more. When the water thaws out, it comes spewing out of the burst pipe.
The best way to prevent burst pipes is to have a plumbing repair service help you get your pipes ready for the winter. If you want to be thorough, you should better insulation put in the walls where pipes may freeze. However, you can also use heat tape or heat cable to wrap the pipe and keep it from freezing.
No Hot Water
Waking up to take a shower and realizing you have no hot water is one of the worst feelings, especially if you have no hot water on a cold winter day. The truth of the matter is, a lack of hot water is one of the most common problems people have with their plumbing.
Water heaters aren’t designed to last forever, especially if you don’t take good care of them. Over time, the elements in your water heater will fail and the tank will become more corroded. In most cases, a water heater will last for about 10 to 12 years. If you have hard water or you don’t have your water heater flushed occasionally, it may fail even sooner than that. If your water heater hasn’t been replaced in a decade or two, you should have a plumbing repair service inspect and replace it if necessary.
A Helping Hand
Taking care of the plumbing system in your home is important if you want access to clean water at all times. The tough part is keeping an eye out for problems and knowing when to call a professional for help.
Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains of Minneapolis, MN, is here to help you no matter what your plumbing needs are. From installation and maintenance to repairs, we do it all. If you need a plumbing repair service to help you take care of an annoying plumbing problem in your home, give Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains a call at (952) 209-9330.
