Clear Plumbing Red Flags That Might Be Risky to Ignore

By Brian Sodoma, for Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning

As we move into winter, many homeowners tend to prioritize checking their furnaces and any other HVAC systems, potentially overlooking other important utilities. While supporting your heating is a smart move, your home’s plumbing system may need help now and then too.

You might want to consider an annual plumbing maintenance appointment. After all, plumbing issues are often only noticed once something breaks, but it’s likely that your system could have been trying to warn you for weeks. To avoid serious repairs, here are a few often overlooked signs that your plumbing system needs immediate attention.

1. Poor Pressure

If your home’s water pressure drops suddenly, that’s usually because of an issue with the main water line. It may be a failure somewhere along the main line to your home or a pipe within it, explained BJ Richardson, a Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning plumbing manager.

However, if the drop in pressure is isolated to one room, like the bathroom or kitchen, it might be a fixture problem. It might be a simple fix, such as replacing a faucet aerator or addressing a water heater issue. Or it could be something a little more complex, like a supply line leading to that room.

“I always tell people to look at their water bill too. If the pressure drop comes at a time when you suddenly see a higher bill, there may be a deeper problem,” Richardson said. “It’s smart to check your water meter to see if it’s running even when no appliances are turned on. That’s also pointing to a leak somewhere.”

Sometimes a sudden problem with your water pressure starts at the municipal supply – in these cases, that is easily fixed by a booster pump.

2. A “Sewer” Smell Somewhere in the Plumbing

“While a clog in a plumbing fixture like your sink can sometimes lead to unpleasant odors because of debris, a persistent odor of rotten eggs suggests a more serious issue. Drains have a trap and vent inside them and either one can clog. If the smell never goes away, you may have to consider a clogged sewer line or even a sewer gas leak. Solving these problems is usually best handled by the professionals, Richardson said.

Don’t forget that even though propane and natural gas have a distinctive smell, such leaks can be confused as a sewer smell. When in doubt, call a professional.”

3. Rusted or Discolored Piping

Discoloration and visible wear on exposed pipes are other signs that might be overlooked. If you’re in your basement, outside or anywhere in your home, it’s smart to examine exposed pipes. Noticeable wear and discoloration usually points to the presence of a leak.

Most discoloration happens in areas where two pipe pieces are joined together. Failing to notice discoloration can be problematic when it comes to your main water lines because they are pressurized, Richardson explained. When an exposed pipe breaks, it can start flooding your home very quickly.

With certain pipes, discoloration comes from the different chemicals municipalities use to sanitize and treat the water.

4. Slow Draining Fixtures

It’s tempting for homeowners to solve this issue with liquid drain cleaner, but that’s usually only a temporary solution and can potentially damage your plumbing system. Although we’ve all heard of hair clogs, the truth is hair is not the actual culprit. Household products including chemical cleaners, toothpaste, hand soaps and even the natural oils in our skin create a sticky scum on the drain walls that traps hair and other small particles, something most liquid drain cleaners won’t eliminate. Using a mechanical snake or drain machine is the most effective way to tackle this type of slow drain or clog. Usually, if a clog is right inside the pipes below the sink, cleaning it usually solves the problem. But if it doesn’t, it could mean you need to look for a more significant issue.

“The thing you ought to watch out for is if multiple drains are clogged, and the problem doesn’t go away itself even after you clean the drain under those sinks,” explained Brian McMasters, a Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning division plumbing manager. “The sewer line might also be in need of cleaning, but in some cases, the cause of the problem is tree roots that grow into and crack a sewer line. Repairing a main sewer line is obviously more complex to perform and requires trenching down into the ground until we find the exact location of the leak to repair it.”

5. Standing Water in Your Front or Back Yard

Regularly inspect all around your house, as well as your yard. It’s advisable to take care of this every week. Often, a broken underground water or irrigation line leak, or even a sewer main line leak, presents itself gradually, once a significant amount of water has already leaked underground. Keep an eye out for soft, sunken spots in the grass as these can indicate a hidden issue.

“You also want to be on the lookout for things including sudden green patches in typically dry or yellow areas of the lawn,” mentioned McMasters. “In our experience, that’s a sign there’s a problem a trained plumber can solve.”

Find out everything you need to know about avoiding common issues with plumbing systems and get expert help at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning.