Plumbing is the one system in a house that most people never think about until it fails, and by then the failure usually involves water somewhere it should not be. The system does give warning, though. It gives it quietly, through drains that take a little longer, pressure that is a little lower, and a bill that is a little higher than it was. This post covers the signs that a plumbing system is overdue for attention, what each one usually means, and why catching them early is so much cheaper than the alternative.
Drains that are slow, or clogs that keep coming back
A single slow drain is a fixture problem, usually hair or soap in a bathroom trap or grease in the kitchen line. Several slow drains at once, or a clog that returns a few weeks after it was cleared, is a line problem, and the line in question is often the main sewer line under the yard. Gurgling from a drain when a different fixture runs, or a toilet that bubbles when the washing machine drains, means air is being pushed back through a partial blockage. In yards with large, established trees, roots find the joints in older sewer lines and grow into them, and a clog that comes back every few months is the classic sign. A camera inspection of the line shows exactly what is there and where, and professional drain cleaning clears the full length of the line rather than the few feet a store-bought snake reaches.
Water pressure that has dropped
Pressure fades so slowly that people adjust to it without noticing, until a guest mentions the shower or a second fixture makes the first one sputter. Low pressure throughout the house points to the pressure regulator where the water enters, to a partly closed main valve, or to corrosion narrowing the inside of older pipes. Low pressure at one fixture is usually a clogged aerator or a failing cartridge. Pressure that dropped suddenly, rather than over years, can mean a leak somewhere in the system. A water pressure assessment measures pressure at the main and at the fixtures and tells you which of these you have.
A water bill that climbed
Water bills rise for two reasons: you used more, or something is leaking. If the household did not change and the bill did, suspect a leak, and start with the toilets, since a flapper that no longer seals can waste hundreds of gallons a day without a sound. Then check the meter with everything off. If the dial or the digits move, water is going somewhere. Leaks in a slab, under a crawl space, or inside a wall do not show up as puddles for a long time, and electronic leak detection finds them without tearing out drywall to look.
Noises in the pipes
Pipes make three noises worth knowing. A bang when a faucet or appliance shuts off is water hammer, which means the shock of stopping water is slamming pipes against framing, and over time it loosens joints and damages valves. Whistling or squealing when water runs is usually a worn valve or a pressure problem. Gurgling, as noted above, is a drainage or venting problem. A plumbing system that has developed any of these has changed since it was installed, and the change is worth finding before it turns into a leak.
Water that is not clear
Rusty or brown water from the hot taps only means the inside of the water heater tank is corroding, and the heater is approaching the end of its life. Rusty water from both hot and cold points to galvanized steel supply pipes corroding from the inside, which is common in older homes and eventually leads to leaks and low pressure at the same time. Sediment in the water, or a metallic taste, is a reason to have the supply checked. In each case the water is telling you about the condition of a pipe or a tank you cannot see.
Smells you cannot place
A sewer smell in a bathroom that is rarely used is usually a trap that has dried out, and running the water fixes it. A sewer smell that persists in a used bathroom, or that comes and goes with the weather, points to a cracked drain line, a failed toilet seal, or a blocked vent stack, and sewer gas in the house is a health concern as well as a nuisance. A musty smell under a sink or in the crawl space means moisture, and moisture means a leak or condensation that has been there long enough to support growth.
What a plumbing inspection covers
A plumbing maintenance visit works through the system in order: pressure at the main and the fixtures, the condition of the visible supply lines and shutoff valves, the water heater’s age, anode rod, and relief valve, every drain’s flow, and the exposed pipe in the crawl space or attic. The technician tests for leaks, flushes the water heater, and notes anything that is wearing rather than failed. What you get is a written picture of the system, with the repairs that make sense now and the ones that can wait. In Columbia, where a hard freeze can find a weak joint in the crawl space any January and a house full of holiday guests can find a marginal drain any December, that picture is worth having before the season rather than after.
Get the system looked at
2nd Wind Heating & Air Conditioning has served greater Columbia since 1985. If your home is showing more than one of the signs above, schedule a plumbing inspection online or through the 24/7 chat on our website. The technician will show you on video what was found and give you the repair options with prices before any work begins, and a planned repair on your schedule will cost a great deal less than the emergency version of the same problem.