What Are The Most Common Plumbing Emergencies & How Do I Stop Them?

No one wants things to go wrong with their home's piping, especially considering how expensive some of the more serious plumbing emergencies can be.
But are you helpless to prevent these kinds of problems from cropping up? Most of the time, you have the power to prevent these issues, and we’ve got some tips for the more common problems.

Dealing with Leaky Fixtures

A leaking fixture is a conundrum because while it is not the biggest emergency in the world, this one is also hard to spot in advance and can happen to anyone.
The surest way to prevent a leak when everything else is in order is to make sure that your taps are tightly turned to “off.” If a leak is happening despite that, you’ve still got options.
The usual suspects in a leaky fixture are two possible parts in a tap. The O-ring or the washer can both break down after years of constant use, and if they do, they can admit water. Fortunately, neither of these parts is expensive, and both are relatively easy to replace with a wrench and a few minutes.

Keeping a Drain from Being Blocked

Prevention is the name of the game when it comes to a blocked drain. In the vast majority of cases where a blocked drain occurs, the chief cause of water not going down the drain is homeowners ignoring the advance warning this was coming.
Blockages occur when matter, such as hair or food, get caught in the drainage pipe, rather than washing away. Once this process begins, it acts as an anchor, and more mass gets caught, eventually forming a partial blockage.
You’ll notice this as a “slow drain,” where water drains out of a sink slower than usual. If you ignore this, you’ll get a blocked drain. Drain cleaner or a plunger can solve this issue in minutes.

Preventing Toilet Overflow

Few things are as upsetting as using a toilet, flushing it, and watching the water and waste rise, spill over the toilet and onto the floor.
There are really only two reasons this happens, both of which are easily preventable; children playing with the toilet, and other residents treating the toilet like a garbage disposal unit.
A toilet will only overflow when foreign matter blocks up the pipe, such as kids playing around by flushing things down. If it’s not kids playing with the toilet, it may be other residents treating the toilet as a garbage can.
Disposable diapers, cigarettes and yes, even paper towels can all jam up a toilet. Only human waste and toilet paper should go down the drain, nothing else.

Preventing Pipes from Bursting

A burst pipe can be the most serious emergency, but there are a few ways to avoid this.
If you live in an old home, 75 years or more, and the original plumbing is still intact, like cast iron drainage pipes, sheer age may be a factor.
Consider replacing it with modern PVC pipes to avoid metal fatigue issues. On the other hand, make sure your water pressure isn’t too high! High water pressure puts a constant strain on water pipes, and may eventually cause them to break.
If you take care of the plumbing in your Salt Lake City, UT home, it will take care of you, and provide you with decades of reliable service.