At midnight, you are ankle-deep in water and your dog just tried to paddle past the sofa. Should this strike a personal resonance, you require a prompt emergency plumber. One can wait until sunrise occasionally. Other times, though? Time is money; it is also water. Let us now discuss the red-alert signals requiring immediate response.
One should raise an eyebrow about pipes sounding like a band getting ready. Usually indicating either trapped air or even loose pipes, banging, thumping, or whistling noises originating from pipes indicate Unchecked, you could find a busted pipe sooner than you would want. And a burst pipe averages over $5,000 in damages; your insurance agent will not be happy.
A gushing main water line is a warning strobe light. Grab that shut-off valve if you observe water leaking from unusual sources. Every instant you slow down implies more drenched floors and furniture. Strangely enough, a lot of folks first discover a weird puddle in their yard—above a mainline leak. Call the experts if your tulips seem to be swimming unexpectedly.
Red flags are hot water that leaks from around your water heater or vaporizes quickly. Tanks should not shed large puddles of tears. Sometimes pressure-relief valves require a “burping” session. Freeze showers or scalding blasts accompanied by cracking sounds. Repair costs are getting really expensive.
Odd smells from the sewer? Sewage backup literally creates a mess as well as a health hazard. There most likely is a sewer line obstruction if you see gurgling drains, water backing up in baths, or smells like a summer dumpster. Here, DIY techniques hardly ever do more than cause a tragedy to be delayed. Certain clogs require the large guns—industrial augers and years of experience.
Dripping ceilings and discolored, sagging wallboard tells a lot. A small leak can rapidly cause framework to decay and mold to grow. One never should overlook ceiling stains. Water damage only gets more expensive with increasing length of time.
