When to Call a Plumber

When to Call a Plumber

When to Call a Plumber

Let’s be honest, no one wants to call a plumber and with all the online resources to help homeowners do their own home repairs, you may be asking yourself…Can I take care of this? Or should I call a professional? It’s a good question, fixing something yourself can save you money and it can also be very gratifying. Let’s talk a little about what can be done with a standard toolkit and some determination as well as what should not be attempted due to high risk or the need for specialized tools.

Let's start with drain clogs. Backed-up sewer pipes are one of the most common service calls we receive. Clogs come in many different styles with some being much easier than others to clear. If a clog happens suddenly, such as the toilet doesn’t flush or the sink doesn’t drain after shaving, these can usually be cleared easier than a drain that has been slow for months and then stops completely. A drain that has been having issues for a long time will need to be cleared using a professional-grade cable snake or high-pressured jetter. This is because the pipe has been building up sludge, sometimes partially blocking the entire length of piping, and will need to be flushed more completely for the issue to not happen again. If you clog a sink or toilet that has been draining great before, most likely the issue is something has just blocked up a small portion of the pipe and can sometimes be cleared by either a plunger or a small hand snake. Please don’t ever use Drano or similar acids as they are very hard on your piping and can cause bigger issues.

Dripping faucets and shower heads are caused by high water pressure or faulty cartridges. These repairs require removing parts of your plumbing system that if done incorrectly will mean that your home's water will have to remain off until the fix is complete. These repairs should be done by a professional unless you are absolutely sure you have the tools and correct parts to finish the job.

Some leaks are fairly straightforward to fix if you have basic hand tools and some knowledge of how pipes go together. These include drips on the white piping underneath your sink and drips on supply lines to faucets. Many of these problems can be fixed with a new rubber gasket or just replacing the defective part altogether. Leaks that are inside the wall or coming from under your toilet should be looked at by a professional. Any plumbing repair that will be hidden after it is complete is at higher risk of damaging your home if done incorrectly.

Last is repairs to your water heating system. If you have no hot water, there are a few steps you can do to save yourself a service call. First, look at your water heater and identify if it’s gas or electric. If it is electric check your breaker panel. Many times, an electrical surge will trip your breaker and it simply needs to be flipped back on. Now, if this happens more than once, please call a professional as there may be something wired incorrectly in your house. If you have a gas water heater, look through the small window at the bottom of the tank. Check to see if you have a pilot light; this looks like a small candle flame that should always be on. If you see no flame, it doesn’t necessarily mean your heater is bad. You can try and relight the pilot. Pilot lights will go out if there is an interruption to your gas service or sometimes will get blown out during high wind events. There will be instructions on how to light your pilot on the front of your water heater. Any other repairs should be done by a professional since they will involve working with your gas lines or high-voltage electrical components.

Here at Gold Seal, we are happy to help you with any repair no matter how small. So, if you don’t feel safe doing it yourself, please give us a call. We always give free estimates if you are within our service area. All our plumbers are happy to inspect your whole plumbing system and educate you on any areas to keep an eye on. Good luck and remember we're here if you need us!