Common Plumbing Red Flags That Might Be Dangerous to Ignore

By Brian Sodoma, for Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning

As we transition into winter, many homeowners often prioritize tuning up their boilers and other heating equipment, potentially forgetting about other important systems. While supporting your heating is always a good investment, your home’s plumbing system may need professional service too.

You might want to consider a yearly plumbing checkup. After all, plumbing issues are often only discovered after something breaks, but it’s also probably true that your system could have been giving you warning signs for a while. To avoid serious repairs, here are several often overlooked signs that your plumbing system needs immediate attention.

1. Restricted Water Flow

If the water pressure in your entire home drops suddenly, that’s usually because of an issue with your water main. It could be a failure somewhere inside the main line to your home or a pipe within it, explained BJ Richardson, a Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning plumbing manager.

However, if the pressure drop is isolated somewhere, like the bathroom or kitchen, it might be a fixture problem. It might be a simple fix, like replacing your faucet aerator or addressing a water heater issue. Or it could 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 the pressure drop comes at a time when you’re also faced with a higher bill, there might be a deeper problem,” Richardson said. “It’s also a good idea 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 problem with your water pressure is in fact because of a problem with the municipal supply – in these cases, that is easily corrected with a booster pump.

2. A “Sewer” Smell in the Home

“While kitchen or bathroom sink clogs can sometimes cause unpleasant odors because of debris, a persistent rotten egg smell suggests a more serious issue. Drains include traps and vents inside them and either component can fail. If the smell persists, you might have a clogged sewer line or even a sewer gas leak. Solving these problems is usually best handled by the professionals, Richardson said.

Remember that while propane and natural gas carry a distinctive smell, such leaks can be confused as a sewer smell. When in doubt, call a professional.”

3. Rusted or Discolored Piping

Discoloration and visible wear on exposed pipes represent other signs that can be easy to overlook. If you’re in the basement or near exposed piping, it’s smart to check all exposed pipes. Discoloration and noticeable wear usually indicates an impending leak.

Discoloration commonly occurs in sections where two pipes join. Failing to notice discoloration can be problematic when it comes to the main water supply because they are pressurized, Richardson explained. When the pipe breaks, it can release a substantial amount of water into your home very quickly.

With certain pipes, discoloration is in fact caused by different chemicals local authorities have to sanitize and treat the water.

4. Poor Drainage

We understand it may be tempting for homeowners to fix clog-related problems with liquid drain cleaner, but those chemicals are usually only a temporary solution that might damage your plumbing system. Even if we’ve all heard of hair clogs, the truth is hair is not the true culprit. Products like cleaners, toothpaste, hand soaps and even the natural oils in our skin create a sticky scum on the drain walls that traps hair and other small particles, something most liquid drain cleaners won’t remove. Employing a mechanical snake or drain machine is our recommendation for the most effective way to tackle this type of entrenched clog. Usually, if the clog is just inside the pipes below the sink, cleaning it usually clears up the problem. But when this doesn’t work, it could indicate a more significant issue.

“The thing you really want to keep an eye on is if multiple drains are constantly clogging, and the problem doesn’t resolve itself after cleaning the drain under those sinks,” said Brian McMasters, a Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning division plumbing manager. “The sewer line may need to be cleaned, but in some plumbing systems, the cause of the problem is tree roots that grow into and crack a sewer line. Handling this kind of situation is obviously more involved and requires trenching down into the ground until we find the exact location of the leak to repair it.”

5. Standing Water in Your Front or Back Yard

Regularly inspect all around your house, as well as your yard. It’s a good idea to do so every week. Often, a broken underground water or irrigation line leak, or even a sewer main line leak, becomes more obvious gradually, after a lot of water has already leaked underground. Look for soft, sunken spots in the grass as these may suggest 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 our experience, that’s a sign there is a problem that needs an expert’s attention.”

Learn what you need to know about solving common issues with plumbing systems and look forward to expert help at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning.