Blocked Up: Straightforward Advice About Plumbing Issues

When you own your own home, of course you can handle all the repairs you want; many homeowners even take classes or follow online courses in home repair so they can be equipped to manage certain emergencies and maintenance. However, remember that short classes and videos you see online are no substitute for years of education and experience someone gets as an emergency plumber, and there are some plumbing emergencies that are always best left to the pros. Note a few of these here and why it's good to call in an expert if they happen in your home.

Burst pipe

You can turn off the water to your home and then replace a burst pipe somewhat quickly, but one reason you might call an emergency plumber instead is that they can find the cause of that burst pipe and address that, rather than just replacing it. If your water pressure is too high in the home or connectors are old and worn, your new pipe may burst just as quickly as the old pipe. Rather than opting for a quick fix, have an emergency plumber note the cause of the damage and then ensure that your repair job will last.

Leaking hot water heater

For the same reasons that you want a burst pipe to be addressed by a professional, you also want a leaking hot water heater to be addressed by an emergency plumber. It's not good to just turn off the water and power supplies and then put duct tape around a leak or try to change out a hose to the heater; you need to know why the leak happened in the first place, or it may just continue. In some cases, it could be that the lining to the tank has rusted through and this needs replacing, something outside the scope of expertise of most homeowners.

Severe clogs

If your bathtub drain is clogged and you've tried baking soda and vinegar or a plunger, you don't want to do anything more. That clog is probably being caused by something outside your house, meaning a cracked pipe that is letting in dirt and sludge. There may also be a very severe clog that cannot be easily addressed with household tools; trying to clear it any more may mean lodging it into the pipe even worse or causing damage to pipes. It's especially vital that you call an emergency plumber if you can smell dirt or sewage or these are coming back up the drain, as this often means a broken pipe outside your home that needs replacing.