Five Common Plumbing Problems (And How to Avoid Them)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced a plumbing problem in your life. Now put your hand down—that’s weird. 99 percent of us (don’t quote us on that made up stat) have experienced a plumbing obstacle at some point during our lives. Luckily for you – we determined the five most common plumbing problems and how to avoid them.

Running Toilets

Your toilet could run for various reasons, but most of them are easily fixable. Whether your chain is too long, your lever is catching or you have a worn-out flapper—check out our running toilet pro tip to fix up your commode in no time. Don’t wait, a running toilet could waste up to 200 gallons of water per day if left unchecked.

Low Water Pressure

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, low water pressure is the worst. It makes household activities like showering and cleaning the dishes unbearable. It’s ok though – you can increase your water pressure to 50 PSI (or even 60 PSI if you’re feeling a little crazy). If that doesn’t do the trick, you might have a water leak or mineral buildup. Check out our water pressure pro tip for more info.

Dripping Faucet or Shower Head

It’s tempting to replace a leaky faucet or shower head. Yes, it’s probably seen better days, but your faucet or shower head might not be the problem. Worn washers and cartridges allow water to seep through and cause leaks. And fixing them is much cheaper than replacing the whole unit. Find out how in our dripping shower head pro tip.

Clogged Toilets and Drains

These typically have two different causes (we hope). And thus, they have two different solutions. Clogged toilets can typically be plunged out as long as you use the right plunger. Sink and shower clogs can be removed with a shop vac or a drain snake. Remember – liquid drain cleaners may work the first time, but they will wear down your pipes after multiple uses.

No Hot Water

Sure, your spouse’s half hour hot showers can leave you without hot water for a few minutes. But if it lasts longer than that, you might have a hot water heater problem. Sometimes it’s as simple as reigniting your pilot light or checking your thermostat. On the other hand, you could have a gas leak on your hands. Better check out our hot water pro tip to be sure.

Did we just pimp seven of our pro tips? Yes. Is it still valuable information? Of course! Hopefully next time you’re in a plumbing pickle, you know what to do. And if not, the plumbers at Superior Drain are just a call away. Request an appointment today!