When you become a homeowner, you are no longer in the role of a “renter.” As a renter, you may have been quick to call the landlord and report a kitchen sink clog or a broken garbage disposal, but something happens when you sign on the dotted line on that first mortgage.
Once you’re a homeowner, you may be more inclined to see if a plunger will take care of that kitchen sink clog, or you may dig a little deeper (with your hands) when the garbage disposal isn’t working – that is if you’re the DIY, roll up your sleeves type of guy or gal homeowner.
Some of us on the other hand, prefer to call in the pros when we have a maintenance issue or see warning signs of a plumbing emergency with our home. We just like the peace of mind knowing that everything will be done right, and safely, and when it comes to plumbing issues, plumbing repairs and plumbing installation, there’s nothing like having a licensed plumber or plumbing service, maintain your home.
What about you? If you have a plumbing issue, will you be the first to put on an old pair of jeans and grab a wrench to see if you can tackle the problem yourself or find a qualified local plumber to clear out that sewer line, find the cause of that gurgling, or track down why your water pressure is low?
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With all of the exciting television shows on home improvement, we are in the era of DIY projects and you may have been bitten by the DIY bug too. Before you tackle a plumbing system project, you want to consider the following:
- Do I have the right tools? Quality tools of the trade are critical and some of them can get expensive. Drain snakes, or augers, that can reach 100’ or more can be in the thousands.
- Do I have the time to do the project right? Remember, there is a learning curve in doing something new, so it could take you two or three times longer to finish plumbing repairs or projects.
- Do I have enough experience for this particular project? If you don’t have enough experience or know how, it could end up causing more damage than you had to begin with.
- While you can certainly plunge the toilet or sink when there’s a minor clog, a lot of other plumbing jobs involve a rather steep learning curve.
It’s easy to tighten down an old faucet or tighten a pipe under the bathroom sink, or pull hair and sludge from a shower drain, but anything beyond that and you’ll want to consider looking for a plumber’s help.
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Call a professional plumber when:
- You cannot unclog a toilet after you’ve made several attempts. This could be a warning sign of a serious blockage located in the main line or in the sewer line that is causing the clogged drain.
- You cannot unclog a sink, or a slow drain becomes a clog that you cannot clear. Like the toilet, it could be a sign of a serious blockage or build-up, and a professional drain cleaner should take a look.
- Your problem involves the water heater or a gas line. These are delicate issues and they can pose dangers if they are not handled correctly, potentially leading to a gas leak which can become a plumbing emergency quickly.
- Your toilet is making a percolating or gurgling sound,
- Multiple drains throughout the house are clogged at once, which can be a sign of a sewer line clog or main line clog.
- You can hear the sound of a water leak in your walls. This could be a water line or water supply lines in the home that now has a water leak due to corrosion or have frozen pipes. This can lead to huge damages and huge water bills if left unchecked.
- You have a leak that is coming up through the flooring (slab leak).
- You have pipes that are cracked, busted, or otherwise damaged, including frozen pipes.
- You have water damage from a leak that’s affected the walls, ceiling, or flooring.
- You have tried to stop the water leak around things such as a shower head, faucet, kitchen sink, and cannot stop the leak.
- You’re not getting hot water or cold water from your faucets.
- You need to have your septic tank pumped, or another major undertaking involving your septic system.
If you have one of the above plumbing problems, or there is another issue that we have not mentioned, it’s time to call in the pros at A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc. Call today for a FREE estimate!
