Plumbing Service FAQ

Answers to Your Common Plumbing Service Questions

I Have a Leak. What Should I Do?

If your leak is minor and you can easily find it, use a bucket or large bowl to catch the dip from your leak in order to keep it from damaging your home. If your leak is bigger, located in a place that’s otherwise unreachable, or threatening serious damage to your home, you should find your emergency water shutoff valve (usually located in your garage or in a closet near the front of your home where your main water connection is) and turn it to the “off” position. This will shut off all water in your home, but it will give you the ability to get help without further damage.

In either case, you should reach out to a professional plumber as soon as possible to have them investigate the leak and conduct a thorough, professional repair.

Why Do Hardware Stores Sell Drain Cleaners If They’re So Dangerous?

If you’ve done even the most basic level of research about your drain clog, you’ve probably been told never to use a chemical drain cleaner you get from your local hardware store or home improvement warehouse. Why do stores sell them? Because people buy them. It’s that simple. What those people often don’t realize is that this “quick fix” for drain clogs also eats away at your pipes. It’s also extremely dangerous to touch, and can cause serious injury. We can’t emphasize this strongly enough: do not use chemical drain cleaners—the damage they do is immense, and they may not even fix your problem!

What Should I Do If My Garbage Disposal Is Jammed?

A garbage disposal jam is really not that difficult to fix. More often than not, a jam is simply the result of things like stringy foods binding the rotating plates in your disposal and preventing the motor from turning. In many cases, taking a broom or toilet plunger handle, shoving it into the disposal, and then trying to force the plates to rotate will actually rip apart the jam and get them spinning freely again. If the plates spin freely with this method but the disposal still doesn’t work when you flip the switch, then reach out to a professional for a repair right away.

Should I Repair or Replace My Water Heater?

Because everyone is unique, there’s really no easy way to answer this definitively for everyone. However, there are a few guidelines which can help you get a good idea for yourself. For starters, if your water heater is still fairly new, and your issue isn’t related to a leak in your tank, there’s a good chance a repair can probably get it working again. However, if your tank is leaking, then you probably need to replace it outright. Likewise, water heaters have an average lifespan of only around 8 years, so a tank that’s any older than that should probably be replaced instead.

Why Are All My Drains Running Slowly?

A large chunk or even all of the drains in your home moving slowly is a sign of a serious problem down the line where all your drains meet: in your main sewer line. Your sewer line is what connects your home’s drains to your sewer or septic tank connection, and thus a clog here could result in slowed or stopped drains all around your house. There are several different reasons this can happen, but the two most common are a collapsed plumbing line (usually caused by something like a rock breaking through your pipe), or tree root intrusion. A plumber can inspect your sewer line to determine the problem and discuss your repair options with you.

Why Do I Hear Noises in My Walls?

Noises that come from the pipes in your walls can indicate a few different things. One of the most common reasons is known as “water hammer” and is caused by turning off a tap too quickly when your water pressure is too high. While water hammer arrestors can help with this issue, it’s strongly advised that you check your water pressure regulator to make sure it’s still working. Water pressure that’s too high or too low can cause extremely serious problems for your plumbing and even shorten the lifespan of appliances like your dishwasher, washing machine, and water heater.

Have another question about your plumbing that isn’t listed here? We’d love to hear from you and get you the answer you need! Call B & J Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. at (252) 512-5651 today.