The owner of a house is responsible for the repair and upkeep of that building, and this often involves hiring professionals who can fix or update any missing or damaged hardware found there. AC repairs can be done when the heating and cooling utility is dirty or damaged, and roofing repair experts are brought on board when the roof is damaged or leaking. Plumbers, meanwhile, are essential for plumbing repair such as fixing leaking pipes, replacing old toilets, and even installing new water heaters or putting in a sump pump. Plumbers are also helpful if the home suffers from clogged pipes deep in the ground where the homeowner cannot reach.
Why Plumbers Are Needed
Why might a homeowner call upon local plumbing services? One reason is if the sewer drain is clogged. Clogs might happen if the wrong materials are flushed into the toilet, such as moisturized hand towels or baby diapers or tobacco, which will build up in the pipes. Meanwhile, pouring oil down the kitchen drain allows oils to build up in the sewer pipe, and harden into a plaster-like material that clogs up the drain. All of this can cause the pipes to back up.
Meanwhile, old or damaged pipes may leak water or rupture entirely, which wastes a lot of water each year. Many American homes are leaky today, and the costs really add up. Some estimates say that over one trillion gallons of water is wasted every year from all these combined leaks, and this costs money for all the homeowners involved. A typical leaking house is losing 90 gallons of water per day, and that’s bad news. Not only is this expensive, but leaking water may pool on the floor or in the basement, and it can damage the drywall and short out electrical component. It can also spur mold growth in all kinds of places. Pipes may leak or burst if they are old and rusty, or if the water inside freezes and expands too much. Once the ice melts later, the pipe starts leaking.
A homeowner can fix minor plumbing problems, such as a leaky faucet, but bigger jobs than that call for plumbers. What might they do?
When Plumbers are on the Job
Professional plumbers have the tools and expertise to clean, repair, or replace just about any part of the house, and this includes a clogged sewage drain pipe. Plumbers can dig up the pipe and open it, and then remove any materials that were clogging the sewage drain to restore flow. They can also remove tree roots that have grown into the pipe and clogged it.
Meanwhile, damaged or leaking pipes are simple for plumbers to repair or replace, and this can stop leaks in the walls, basement, and anywhere else in the house. Don’t forget the water heater, either, which may need replacing every so often. A water heater’s inner tank will slowly clog up with hardened sediments over time, and that will reduce its storage capacity and thus reduce the water’s access to hot water. Once the tank’s storage capacity is down to about 50%, it is time to replace the tank, and the homeowner can get a newer, bigger water heater. It may also be an option to buy and install a tankless water heater, which will only heat up hot water when it is needed. This allows the home to access hot water anytime without fail, but be aware that these devices are fairly expensive to install.
What about fixtures, such as shower heads, toilets, and sinks? Such items can be replaced or repaired if they are damaged, or simply if they are very old. The problem is that old toilets and faucets were not built with modern water efficiency in mind, so they are wasting water even if they are not damaged and leaking. So, a plumber can replace the old toilet, sink, shower head, or tub faucet with a modern low-flow model, and this saves on water usage over time and thus allows the new hardware to pay for itself over time. During home remodeling jobs, it is common to remodel the bathroom, and plumbers can perform work like this so the bathroom is both more attractive and water-efficient.
