You may have made several New Year’s Resolutions about eating healthier, working out more, or giving yourself a makeover. But have you thought about making New Year’s Resolutions for your home? Having your plumbing inspected by Benicia Plumbing may not be as fun as a gym membership or as glamorous as a new hairdo, but if you haven’t had an inspection of your home’s pipes in a while, then it’s time to call your plumber and start the New Year mess, stress and leak-free.
Warning Sign #1: Toilet Clogs
If any of your toilets are clogging regularly, it’s probably time to call a plumber. Even if you can fix the clog yourself with a plunger or chemicals, toilets that regularly clog may indicate that there is a blockage in the drains or the U-bend of the pipes. Feminine sanitary products, paper towels, baby wipes, and condoms shouldn’t be flushed. If these things are, they can stay in your pipes, making a dam of sorts in them and keeping waste from getting to the sewer.
Warning Sign #2: Slow Drainage
If your kitchen or bathroom sinks, or your tub or showers are draining more slowly than usual, you probably have partially clogged pipes. A professional plumber can check your whole home to see if it’s a problem with a particular sink that needs to be snaked or if one of your home’s main drainage pipes is causing slow drainage in the entire house. While chemical de-cloggers may get rid of hair and soap clogs, over time, certain things like food or solid grease may build up in your pipes. These backups can damage your pipes by keeping organic waste in the pipes and corroding them. This, in turn, can lead to a burst pipe.
Warning Sign #3: Higher Water Bill
It’s important to monitor your monthly water bill, not just for your budget but also to see how much you’re using. If you’re using more water than usual, you may have leaks. Remember, if a pipe leaks into your wall, you’re still paying for that water, even if you aren’t using it! Most water bills will show a monthly usage that goes back several months or a year. By comparing your water usage month-to-month and comparing your monthly use this year to monthly use last year, you may have a hint that you need a plumber to check your home.
Warning Sign #4: Low Water Pressure
Faucets that aren’t putting out water at their full volume may indicate that the pipes leading to them are leaking. If your water flow in a kitchen sink, shower, or bathtub isn’t at its usual volume, then some of that water may be leaking out before it reaches the faucet itself. A plumber has special tools to detect each faucet’s output to determine where a pipe may be playing.
About Benicia Plumbing
At Benicia Plumbing, Inc., we’ve been serving our clients since 1975 and always looking to utilize the latest technology in today’s plumbing world. By providing complete plumbing services to businesses, industry, homebuilders and homeowners throughout the northern California Bay Area, we’ve been able to stay at the forefront of this industry and succeed at a high level.
