According to an estimate, an average household wastes yearly 9,400 gallons of water. Unnoticed plumbing issues can potentially hurt your wallet and haunt you whenever you need water the most. The main reason for such plumbing issues is that they usually go undetected for a while. We only notice such plumbing issues when they reach a breaking point. Don’t let plumbing problems disturb your peace of mind, detect and prevent them from happening.
Here are some common plumbing issues that every house owner needs to know to make an informed repair.
Common faulty faucets:
Nobody likes the sound of a dripping tap because its persistent and rhythmic tone gets stuck in our heads. We start to hear it even when we are not at home. Apart from the mental torture it also increases your water bills. Well, don’t stress out, get the dip fixed by giving it a proper diagnose.
Replace the worn O-Ring:
One easy and cheap way to fix it is to replace the O-Ring. It’s a small rubber ring that goes on the stem screw to hold the handle in place. It gets worn out over time due to the movement of the handle.
Old aerator:
Another major contributor to water leaks is an old cartridge. An aerator is the mesh filter at the end of the spigot. Over time, mineral deposits clog up the aerator which causes low water pressure. You must change them every couple of years.
Lose Valve Seat/Washer
It rests between the faucet and the spout holding it into place. Over the time, these connections wear out or become loose and you usually get a leak at the spout. You must check them out periodically.
Leaking Pipes
Pipes cause most plumbing problems, especially in old buildings/houses. Nowadays, most of the pipes are made of PEX. However, most of the old buildings still have copper pipes. Copper pipes are much stronger than PEX but the problem with the copper pipes is that copper cannot bear extreme temperatures. The contracting and expanding that occurs due to changing temperatures will cause the copper pipe to break, while PEX flexes.
Plumbing issues that an average person can easily handle
Let us emphasize one thing that for an average person plumbing is a tricky job. Most of us don’t like getting wet to fix such problems. However, there are few fixes that you can do without making things worse.
Before trying any DIY tutorial online, do the following:
- Shut off the main water supply
- Get the proper tools and parts
- Wear something to avoid stains
- Call a professional plumber if do not understand something
Bottom line:
Having a professional and trustworthy local plumber on speed dial is ideal if you are experiencing any of the above-mentioned plumbing issues because a small clog or leak can turn into a huge headache.
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