Written by Paul Mc
It is normal to panic after suddenly hearing the sound of rushing water in your bathroom or kitchen.
Plumbing systems are the silent circulatory system of your household until they aren’t. Plumbing issues can accelerate within a few hours. Water can cause mold (within 24 to 48 hours), rot in wood, and weaken your foundation.
But don’t use your DIY kit to handle these problems. Instead, get in touch with a professional. Here are nine signs you need a plumber at your service to prevent things from getting worse.
According to an analysis of Yelp search data, Los Angeles, CA, tops the list as the most “clogged-up” city in the U.S. during the Thanksgiving season, seeing a massive 73% spike in plumbing-related searches. It is followed by Miami, FL, which saw a 37% increase, and Nashville, TN, at 26%.
The surge in plumbing issues, driven by holiday hosting and kitchen mishaps, impacts major hubs across the country.
The complete rankings of cities and their respective search increases are as follows:
| Rank | City | Increase | Rank | City | Increase |
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | 73% | 11 | San Jose, CA | 17% |
| 2 | Miami, FL | 37% | 12 | Charlotte, NC | 17% |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | 26% | 13 | Phoenix, AZ | 16% |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | 24% | 14 | Riverside, CA | 16% |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | 23% | 15 | Boston, MA | 16% |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | 21% | 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | 15% |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | 21% | 17 | Orlando, FL | 14% |
| 8 | Providence, RI | 21% | 18 | Houston, TX | 12% |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | 19% | 19 | Philadelphia, PA | 12% |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | 18% | 20 |
A single slow drain in the kitchen is manageable. But with multiple clogged drains in your home, the story may be different.
You may have a blocked main sewer line.
With a hindrance in the main line, wastewater doesn’t have anywhere else to go. It bubbles up through your floor drains or downstairs shower.
The water coming out is mostly black water. It contains raw sewage materials. These substances are extremely harmful.
That’s why taking professional plumbers on board is the only solution. Plumbers use procedures like rooting and hydro-jetting to clear clogs using high pressure water jets.
Vents in your plumbing system help keep sewer gases away. But if you constantly smell rotten eggs or raw sewage inside your home, know that the vents aren’t working.
The reason could be because of a:
You may choose to bear the sewerage smell for some time due to budget constraints or busy schedule but sewer gases contain methane and hydrogen sulfide. Both gases are highly toxic.
Therefore, it is a safety emergency. You should start searching for the ‘best plumber near me’ and contact the highly rated ones to fix the vents or broken pipes. Or, save the hassle and approach our team at Expert on Deck and get the best professional plumbers on board.
One of the signs you need a plumber is a drop in your water pressure.
A gradual decrease in water pressure may be a result of mineral buildup. But a sudden drop is usually caused by a burst pipe or a major leak.
Water bubbling through your sidewalks or a new pond in your lawn represents a main water line failure.
In this case, a home-made solution doesn’t work. You will have to contact a professional plumber to:
You should call a plumber immediately if your tap water is anything but crystal clear.
Brown or red water contains rust. It may appear due to your water heater failing or your aging galvanized pipes corroding from the inside out.
Green or blue water indicates copper pipe corrosion. The increased copper levels of water makes it change its color to blue or green.
If left unchecked, these pipes will eventually develop leaks.
Cloudy water with a milky consistency usually is a sign of high mineral content or a failing water softener. The cloudy water is also a result of tiny bubbles in the water caused by trapped air when the pipes are under pressure.
Discolored water is unacceptable. Therefore, a plumber’s involvement is necessary to find the main issue causing it and then sort it out.
Sometimes, an active leak is easy to find. If you notice a bubble forming on your walls, know that there is a possible pipe leakage. The same goes for a peeling wallpaper in your bathroom.
If not taken seriously, the wood framing and insulation behind the wallpaper will become saturated. You may witness mold growth sooner or later.
A plumber in such cases works as a savior. They use thermal imaging to find the exact source of the leak.
Being forced to take an ice-cold shower during the peak winter season is a nightmare. But it isn’t something to be taken lightly.
A broken water heater may be the reason.
If your water heater is constantly making rumbling or banging noises, it may be suffering from sediment buildup. Calling a plumber is necessary to prevent the unit from getting overheated.
If not handled promptly, the hot heater can eventually lead to the tank wall fracturing. This might turn a simple repair into a catastrophic flood.
In an ideal situation, your lawn should be uniform when it comes to grass. But if there are some soggy, green patches on your land, know that there could be a broken underground pipe.
If there is a broken sewer line, you may notice foul-smelling water. Plus, there might be an unusual number of flies or pests in that particular area.
In this scenario, nothing will work except for a plumber’s tools and experience. They will find out the broken pipe and then fix it to resolve the issue.
If you get a sudden increase in your water bill, you may have a hidden leak somewhere in your home. An average household’s leaks waste 10,000 gallons of water every year. Plus, 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
You may not have the right tools and experience to detect the leak. This is when to call a plumber because only a trained expert has the equipment to detect and fix hidden leaks efficiently.
Water stains or mold patches on walls and ceilings are a sign of plumbing leaks.
If ignored, they can cause severe damage to your home’s structure and ruin your indoor air quality.
This is one of the most important signs to start Googling ‘best plumber near me’. A delay can cause mold to rapidly spread. This weakens the structural integrity of your home.
An extended exposure to mold can cause serious health problems. It may cause respiratory issues and allergy symptoms.
Water may seem harmless. But it can wreak havoc in no time. Even a small leak can get destructive in no time.
As soon as you detect one or more signs you need a plumber, don’t delay. Approach our team and get the best professional plumbers on board.
Any situation involving active flooding, a total loss of water, or a sewer backup is a critical emergency that requires immediate professional intervention.
Locate and turn off your main water shut-off valve immediately to stop the flow and prevent further structural damage to your home.
Yes, gurgling sounds typically indicate a deep blockage or a sewer line issue that could lead to a complete backup if not handled by a pro.
Emergency visits usually involve a higher flat dispatch fee and premium hourly rates for nights, weekends, or holidays.
No, chemical cleaners are often ineffective for major blocks and can corrode your pipes, leading to much more expensive repairs later.
