Warning Signs That You Need Professional Plumbing Services in Brockville

Is your plumbing ready for winter?  As frigid temperatures approach, it’s important to make sure all your water systems will remain working properly no matter how cold it gets.  Doing some maintenance and check-ups on your system before the temperatures get too far below freezing can save you a lot of hassle later on.  No one wants to call for emergency plumbing services in Brockville and Kingston when it’s below zero.

With plumbing, there are a lot of things that you can fix on your own.  Clogged drains, items stuck in U-bends, and other basic plumbing problems can be simple to address with the right tools and knowledge.  However, there are also many situations where calling in professional plumbing services is the right call.  This is the case when either you don’t have the proper tools and experience to fix the problem yourself, or an improper fix could make the problem worse.

There’s no way to list every possible plumbing problem you might see, but in this guide, we wanted to outline some of the major issues that you don’t want to try fixing with DIY methods.  These are the situations where calling for experienced plumbing services in Brockville is best.

Seven Plumbing Problems That Should Always Be Handled by Professionals

1. Recurring clogs in drains or pipes

Any sink or toilet is going to get clogged up from time to time.  It just happens.  Most of the time, the clogs can be cleared easily using commonplace tools like plungers or, at worst, removing a pipe U-bend and cleaning it out.

If you have a pipe or drain which seems to keep getting clogged up over and over, there’s probably another issue further down in your plumbing.  Ignoring it will only cause that problem to get worse. Our team can diagnose and address these problems – give us a call, and we’ll help any way we can.

2. Slow draining in multiple appliances/fixtures

If a drain or exposed pipe is clogged, it should only affect the attached device.  Ie, if your bathroom sink is clogged, it shouldn’t cause problems with your toilet.  However, if you have drain problems from several items at once, that’s almost always going to indicate a more serious issue with your pipes and plumbing.  There may be a clog in one of your main lines, or if you have a septic tank, there could be issues with the tank.

Either way, this definitely won’t be a problem you can solve yourself.  You’ll need professional plumbing services to take care of it.

3. Water backup into fixtures or devices

Another huge red flag that you have serious problems with your internal plumbing is if you ever see water backing up into the drain of a device or fixture.  For example, if you run your dishwasher, and see greywater in the sink or bathtub.  This means there’s probably a significant clog somewhere deep inside the house.  Water isn’t able to escape through the mainline, and as the water pressure builds up, it ends up going back through available drains.

Likewise, you can also know this is happening if you start smelling foul odors from drains.  Even if the greywater isn’t making it all the way up the drain, you may still be able to smell it – and that’s almost as bad.  Either way, this is a serious issue, since that greywater is likely contaminated and could be a health hazard.  Contact a professional plumber ASAP!

4. Basement flooding

One of the worst plumbing problems you can experience is a flood, and this is most likely to occur at the lowest point in a house – usually the basement.  It might be caused by a broken water line, or by a clog forcing water up through the basement drain.

You most definitely don’t want to mess around with your water main or sewer line on your own.  If there’s a chance that the flood water is contaminated, it needs to be handled by pros in protective gear.  Trying to fix the problem yourself could be dangerous and costly.

5. Water heater or boiler leaks

Most homes in Kingston and Brockville will have a separate water heater, and many rely on boilers for in-home heat.  These appliances should be maintained by professionals, since they operate using high temperatures and may also keep their water tanks under pressure.  Plus, they’re almost always operating on higher electrical voltages than typical appliances.

As tempting as it may be to try to investigate leaks in water heaters or boilers by yourself, it’s just not a good idea.  There’s too much that can go wrong, and too many ways an amateur might hurt themselves.  Always call in professional plumbing services if you think there’s an issue with these sorts of appliances.

6. Unidentified water stains on walls, ceiling, or baseboards

If you have a pipe leak inside your walls, or in your attic, that water has to go someplace – and that’s usually into the material of the walls and floors.  Sudden unexpected water stains are one of the biggest red flags that you’ve got a leak.  However, since these pipes are buried in your walls, getting to them is often quite a task – especially when it means ripping up part of the wall.  You want pros who can do this without causing too much damage, using tools that let them look for the source of the problem before they start knocking holes in your walls.

Other signs of hidden pipe leaks can include pools of water along your baseboards or squishy areas in your carpeting.

7. Low water pressure

You should have a good idea of the typical water pressure you get from fixtures such as sinks and showers.  If that water pressure ever drops significantly, it’s usually a sign that there’s a major issue somewhere in the house.

There are exceptions to this: if you have a sudden drop in water pressure, it’s worth contacting your local water provider (usually the local municipality) to see if they have been doing any maintenance.  That can also cause sudden pressure drops.  But if your water company isn’t doing anything that would cause problems, you’ve probably got either a leak or clog on your property – and a serious one at that.

If You Need Plumbing Services in Brockville & Kingston, Contact Toshack

There are plenty of plumbers in Brockville and Kingston – why call Toshack?  Because nobody can match our experience!  We’ve been the go-to plumber for Brockville residences and businesses for almost 90 years, with an unparalleled track record of success.  We’re family-owned and proud of passing on our knowledge of plumbing to each new generation so that Brockville, Kingston and area can continue to get the best in plumbing services.

Whether your plumbing problem is big or small, you can always contact us for help!