FAQs

If you’ve tried plunging your clogged toilet with no success, you’ll need to give a local plumber a call to come out and resolve the issue for you. It’s possible that the clog has gotten more compressed by trying to plunge it, that it’s in a hard to reach area of you toilet plumbing, or that something else is causing the clog than just simply toilet paper and waste. If you know that something was put down the toilet that shouldn’t have been, calling a professional plumber should always be your first response. Don’t risk the functionality of your toilet by trying to plunge your way through a blockage caused by a dropped phone, watch, dog toy, diaper, feminine product, hand towel, or any other belonging. A plumber can also help determine if low water pressure or low water levels are contributing to your clogged toilet issues and provide a recommendation on how to fix these pesky plumbing issues.

A local plumber has the tools and experience needed to perform roto rooting services on toilets, sink drains, and shower drains. If water is backing up, you likely have a clog that needs to be resolved. Ignoring these kinds of problems allows them to get worse over time, often resulting in more costly fixes the longer you let them sit. While some homeowners try DIY solutions like pouring liquid cleaners down their drains, these caustic chemicals are harmful to both the homeowners themselves and their pipes. Liquid drain cleaners wear away at pipes, thinning them and making them more prone to breaks over time. Don’t damage your pipes, call a professional plumber to come roto root your pipes to get them back into good working condition. 

Depending on the severity of your pipe blockage, you may need an emergency plumber. Roto rooting will break up and remove blockages to get your water flowing normally again. While a clogged toilet or bathroom sink may not be an emergency if you have another bathroom that you can use until the issue is resolved, you can probably wait for a regular plumber to come out and roto root out the pipe. However, if the blockage is in your kitchen sink, or someplace in your only bathroom, it is a much more time sensitive issue. In this case, you’ll likely need an emergency 24-hour plumbing service, especially if the issue arises at night or over a weekend.

Understanding how to deal with a leaking shower depending on where the water is leaking from and what kind of shower it is. Typically, water leaking from a door seal, shower faucet, or other connection area can be repaired. However, water resulting from a cracked shower basin or shower insert may necessitate a shower replacement. A professional plumber can identify the source of a water leak and make a recommendation on what to do next.

Obviously, no one wants to replace their shower if they don’t have to due to the cost involved in replacing a shower. However, there are certain shower issues that cannot be repaired without risking continued leaking and water damage. Ultimately, a shower replacement, will still be less costly than dealing with the home water damage restoration and mold remediation that can result if a broken shower isn’t taken care of correctly.

A plumber can install a new shower, especially if you have already found the shower replacement that you want to use. If you need help selecting a new shower it may make sense to work with a home renovation company to find the right fit for your bathroom and your budget. It never hurts to talk to a local plumbing company to find out if they have any professional discounts that you can utilize or any professional affiliations with nearby home furnishings stores to guide you in the right direction with your bathroom remodel.

The level of difficulty when it comes to fixing a leaking shower is dependent on what the problem is. If caulking needs to be redone, this is a relatively minor problem that can often be undertaken economically by a homeowner in an afternoon. However, if the shower faucet is failing, this kind of fix is much more difficult to undertake because it requires specialized information about shower repair. Any time the water needs to be turned off and hardware needs to be removed, a plumber will be better equipped for this kind of work than the average homeowner. There may even be tools required to perform the fix that homeowners don’t have or can’t get because they’re only used by industry professionals. Tinkering with a plumbing problem can cause bigger issues down the road, including bathroom flooding. Don’t risk it. Call a professional plumber today!

Whether your shower faucet is leaking or the shower itself is leaky, a top-rated plumber can often fix the problem much more quickly than a homeowner doing it as a DIY project. As is the case with any plumbing project, a professional plumber will have the tools and experience needed to fix it right the first time. This is especially true when the problem is not easily identifiable. If water is dripping or pooling and the source isn’t known, or if the issue seems to be related to other plumbing issues, having a local plumber come out to assess the issue is always recommended. A plumber can determine what the cause of the leak is and identify any underlying issues before getting the problem quickly.

The nature of the leak will dictate what kind of plumbing tools are needed to fix it. While most relevant tools are available at your local hardware store, there are some tools that plumbers alone have access to (at least affordably). If you find a problem with your shower and aren’t sure that you have what you need to fix it, reach out to a top-rated plumbing company. Have a local plumber come out and fix it for you quickly so that you can get back to using your bathroom comfortably again.

If your sump pump is running constantly, that’s obviously a problem, but what about a sump pump that just runs frequently? Running too often puts strain on a sump pump’s motor, making it more likely to fail when you need it. The result can be a basement flood in a home that you thought was protected. So how often is too often? If your sump pump is running when there hasn’t been heavy rain or water hasn’t been dumped into the pit, there’s likely a problem. A broken sump pump or malfunctioning part can lead your sump pump to think that there’s water inside when there isn’t or water that’s being pumped out may be re-entering the unit, causing it to run again. In other cases, a homeowner’s sump pump is simply undersized for the needs of the home, meaning it will have to work harder to do the job. If you think your sump pump is running too frequently, give a professional plumber a call. A plumber will be able to advise on whether you have an appropriate sump pump size for your needs and if there are any broken components.

Killing power to your sump pump unit can turn it off if it’s malfunctioning and staying on. However, doing so creates a situation where it can be unavailable when it’s needed. Turning it off and inspecting the unit for visible damage is the best strategy for fixing the issue. If you notice anything stuck that is preventing the auto shut off from triggering, this is an easy problem to fix. If, however, a part is broken or there is no obvious cause, you will need to have a local plumbing company come out to diagnose the problem. Usually when a sump pump fails, it turns off and won’t turn back on, which means that if your sump pump is running constantly, there’s a good chance that it still has some life left in it. Depending on the issue though, it may be more cost-effective to replace the unit than repair the problem. An experienced plumber can help determine what’s wrong and make a recommendation.

Yes! Like anything else in your home, maintaining your sump pump will extend its useful life. It’s recommended that you clean your sump pump once a year (or more often if you live in an area with wet weather conditions or high-moisture soil) to help it last longer. To clean out your sump pump, unplug it, wrap it in a plastic bag or tarp to catch anything that may drip, and then take it outside and clean it off with a hose. Take this time to do a quick sump pump inspection to look for any visible damage that may need to be repaired. Once you return it to your basement, test it to ensure it’s working properly.

A broken part is the most likely culprit for a sump pump that doesn’t work, but an undersized sump pump can also be to blame. If you notice standing water in your sump pump or your sump pump runs but leaves some water in the pit, there’s an issue that you’ll need to have fixed right away. A local plumber can come out and take a look to determine whether you need a sump pump repair or sump pump replacement to fix the issue.

A professional plumber can install a sump pump for a homeowner or business owner. The plumber will remove the broken unit and then place, level, and fully connect the new unit before testing it to ensure it works. A plumber can be especially helpful if the sump pump unit being replaced is very old or had a lot of use because mineral deposits can build up, making it very difficult to disconnect the old one.

You can buy a sump pump at most home improvement stores, or you can get a new unit through a professional plumber who will also install it for you. If your sump pump has failed and you’re sure it needs to be replaced, you can choose whether you want to buy a new one and install it yourself or have a plumber do it for you. But, if your sump pump is malfunctioning or behaving erratically, a plumber can determine if you need to replace it or if a sump pump repair is a better idea.  

The conditions surrounding the broken sump pump will determine whether it’s an emergency. If a sump pump won’t stop running or is making strange noises, it may indicate that the pump has broken, but that’s not an emergency plumbing situation. However, if a sump pump has failed and there is flooding or backed up water, that will require an emergency plumber to handle because of the added urgency of the situation.

Plumbers have lots of tools and techniques available to them to clean out pipes. Blockages may be due to sediment, organic matter, roots, or anything else that can restrict water flow. Rodding and hydro jetting are two techniques that professional plumbers use to clean sewer pipes. Sewer rodding uses a series of specialized rods to fit into the pipes and dislodge blockages to allow water to flow again freely. Depending on the specifics of the home or business sewer pipe, an experienced plumber will use different sizes, lengths, and styles of rods to get to the problem and clear it out effectively the first time. Hydro jetting uses high pressure streams of water instead of rigid rods to achieve the same result.

Roots that have grown into sewer pipes can restrict water flow enough that they cause toilet backups, reduced water pressure, and other serious plumbing problems. Sewer rodding is one technique that professional plumbers use to break up and clear out roots in pipes to restore water flow again.

Sewer rodding services can work on both new pipes and old pipes, but extra care must be taken with old pipes to ensure that no damage is done while inserting and maneuvering the rods. Older pipes are not only made of more fragile material than the PVC standard used these days, but they may have also been subjected to harmful liquid drain cleaner and other damaging products. A professional plumber will have the experience needed to operate specialized sewer rodding equipment to minimize the potential for damage.

The telltale sign of a broken pipe in your yard is an uncharacteristic wet spot in your lawn. If you notice an area that’s wetter or softer than usual, you may have an underground pipe break. (And if you have an area that’s suddenly much greener than usual, that can signal a sewer main line break.) If this wet spot is accompanied by a hissing sound, lower water pressure, or any other quirky plumbing problems like toilet backups, you should call an emergency plumber immediately. Even a small crack or break can release a huge amount of water very quickly! Find a local plumber that can come out right away to assess the problem and get it fixed quickly to get your home back to normal. If you notice your water bill is higher than it should be, that can be another sign that you have a cracked pipe someplace that you can’t see.

A sprinkler system is like any other piping in your home, which means a professional plumber can definitely handle a cracked, broken, shifted, or collapsed irrigation pipe. A plumber is also uniquely equipped to deal with issues related to the water source coming into the sprinkler system. If you need help troubleshooting or repairing your sprinkler system control unit though, you should probably consult with an irrigation company because they will be the best qualified to answer technical questions related to different system types.

Yard wet spots can be the result of totally normal things like drainage issues after heavy rains or seasonal fluctuations sogginess after snow melts. However, if you suddenly notice a wet spot that isn’t normal, it’s likely due to an outdoor plumbing problem. Smaller wet spots can occur with a pipe leak or due to a loose pipe fitting, but larger wet spots are usually the result of a broken pipe outside. If the wet spot is accompanied by a foul smell, that is an especially dangerous situation because it indicates that the outdoor pipe break is likely causing black water to leak into your yard from a broken sewer line. If this is the case, you will need to call an emergency plumber right away to minimize damage and protect the health and safety of your family.

A higher water bill without increased water usage by family members usually signals a plumbing problem. This problem can be as simple as a dripping faucet or running toilet or as serious as a pipe leak in a wall or sewer line break in your yard. Regardless of the cause, there are likely clues to spot if you know where to look. An outdoor pipe break will typically be accompanied by a wet spot in your yard, reduced water pressure, and perhaps even a hissing sound near the leak. A pipe leak behind a wall in a space you don’t use regularly (like a basement) will result in a spongy feeling wall, sweating or condensation along nearby baseboards, and a musty or moldy smell. If you notice any of these telltale signs, call a local plumber right away to minimize damage to your home.

Lime out can work wonders on sink and shower faucets when there is calcium deposits, lime scale, or rust buildup keeping water from flowing out the spout. To use it in this way, simply pour some in a bag and then submerge the faucet spout in the liquid, attaching it with a rubber band, and leave it for as long as the instructions call for on the bottle. However, these types of products should not be dumped down your sink. Just like regular liquid drain cleaners, they can damage pipes, making them more likely to break in the future. If you believe that you have scale buildup in your pipes, call a professional plumber to come out and diagnose the issue. It may be that you have a clogged pipe or other plumbing issue restricting water flow.

Depending on what kind of plumbing needs to be cleaned out, a plumber can use a sink plunger, roto rooting (auger) device, rodding, or even hydro jetting to clean out a drain. Residential and commercial applications will require different tools, as will different types of clogs or buildup. Give your local plumber a call for more specific information on how they can assist you with a drain cleaning.

While homeowners can replace their own sinks, it’s always a good idea to bring in a licensed plumber to replace your sink in case any issues arise. Getting older sinks out can be tricky depending on how they were installed and how much use (and abuse) they’ve gotten over time. A professional plumber will have not only the experience but also the tools needed to get the job done more quickly than trying to do it yourself. Additionally, if you’re replacing your sink with a different type of sink, there may be additional things to consider (like reinforcing the underside of the countertop or using specialty mounting brackets) that a local plumber will be aware of already. Kitchen sinks are notoriously tricky to install, especially if you’re swapping out the garbage disposal as well (or installing one for the first time).

If you have a broken garbage disposal, you can always replace your garbage disposal unit without replacing the sink. You just need the know how to remove the old unit and install the new unit. Garbage disposal installation will vary by model type, which is why it’s a good idea to find the manual for your current model and then follow the directions for the new model that you purchase. If you already have the new garbage disposal you want installed, you can hire a local plumber to install it for you to avoid the hassle of doing it yourself. Or, if you just know that your garbage disposal is broken, you can call a licensed plumber and have them come out with a new one to install. Either way, leaning on a professional to do it for you greatly reduces the risk that you will encounter a costly plumbing issue along the way.

Hydro jetting uses an ultra-concentrated jet stream of water to break up whatever is clogging pipes, including roots. Roots from trees and shrubs can make their way into pipes through cracks or loose fittings and grow rapidly, blocking pipes and causing plumbing problems for homeowners or business owners. If you suspect that you have roots in your pipes, call a local plumber to come and assess the situation. Licensed plumbers can do a camera inspection to determine what’s causing the clog and then advise on what the best strategy will be to clear it. Depending on the type and condition of your pipes and the location of root clog, a plumber may recommend hydro jetting.

Unfortunately, hydro jetting equipment too specialized for homeowners to use themselves as a DIY attempt without significant danger even if you find someplace that will rent one. It’s also dangerous for your pipes to operate this kind of equipment without the experience and know how to do so correctly. If you have roots infiltrating your pipes, have a licensed plumber use hydro jetting to break them up and clear out your pipes – it will be much safer for you and your pipes.

Hydro jetting is safe to use on your pipes when the equipment is handled properly using the correct techniques. Of course, any work on your pipes carries some dangers, especially for older or damaged pipes. However, this risk would be significantly magnified if you tried to operate the hydro jetting equipment yourself, which is why you should always leave hydro jetting to licensed professional plumbers. The last thing you want to do is damage your pipes, causing a more costly fix when you finally do call in a professional plumber. Find a top-rated plumber to do the work for you to ensure your own safety and the safety of your pipes.

With so many variations of faucets it’s difficult to say what could be causing a leaky faucet without being able to see the inside of the fixture. If you feel comfortable turning off the water and taking the faucet apart, you can look for any obvious signs of damage to disposable parts like the aerator or the o-rings inside. If you do not notice anything that is clearly broken or damaged, you will either need to replace the faucet with a new one or call a local plumber to come look at the problem.

Tightening up the various components of your faucet is a good starting point to stop a dripping faucet. Arm yourself with a plumber’s wrench and tighten your screws and nuts, check buttons and caps to ensure they’re seated correctly, and then look for anything else that could be responsible for the leak. If your faucet is still dripping, you’ll need to call a licensed plumber to take a look at the problem. Don’t ignore a dripping faucet – it can drive up your water bill significantly even if the drip seems small.

Whether your toilet can be fixed or needs to be replaced depends on what’s wrong with it. A cracked toilet bowl or tank will require a replacement toilet to avoid bathroom water damage. However, levers, valves, and flappers are typically inexpensive parts that can simply be replaced when they break to save your toilet. Often, you can tell what’s wrong with your toilet simply by lifting the tank lid and looking critically at each component. If you can’t identify the problem or you can tell what’s wrong and don’t feel comfortable fixing it, give a local plumber a call. A licensed plumber can fix any kind of toilet problem you’re having right away.

A cracked or badly damaged toilet will need to be replaced. Over time toilets age just like any other item in your home, making them more prone to cracking, separating from the floor seal, or leaking from the connector gasket. A major problem with your toilet signals a need for a toilet replacement. This is likely a task that you do not want to attempt yourself. Call a licensed plumber to replace your toilet today!

A replacement toilet is usually $250-350 from a home improvement store. If you have a licensed plumber come out to replace your toilet, you will also have to pay for the labor required to remove the old toilet and install the new toilet. A professional plumber typically charges $75-125/hour for their work. The time required to replace a toilet will depend on how difficult it is to get the old toilet out and the new toilet in. Badly damaged toilets may require more labor to remove safely, while more luxurious toilets will cost more to install.

A traditional hot water heater heats and then stores hot water until you use it. As that water is depleted, more water is heated and stored. This heating process occurs even when you don’t need hot water, making it an inefficient use of energy. On the other hand, a tankless water heater heats water on demand to reduce waste. This more energy-efficient solution typically results in 50% water savings, or more!

If your water isn’t hot, there can be a variety of causes – a broken drain valve, thermostat, switch, or the internal heating element. Some of these parts can easily be replaced by a licensed plumber as part of a hot water tank repair, sparing the need to replace the hot water heater entirely. In other cases, however, the hot water tank needs to be replaced for safety reasons. For instance, if a hot water tank is cracked, it will need to be replaced immediately to avoid major damage. 

A leaking hot water heater is a plumbing emergency because the water coming out can not only cause regular water damage, but also burn you in the process. Depending on where the water is leaking from, it can also allow pressure to build up dangerously, causing an explosion if ignored.

If you have a leak and can’t figure out where the water is coming from, you can isolate the source by looking for the signs of water inside and outside your home. Look for damp areas, even those that may be relatively minor – like condensation or sweating along baseboards or cabinets. Keep an eye out for dark spots or discoloration on ceilings or walls that can result from getting wet. Touch surfaces to determine if anything feels colder or hotter than it should. Pay particular attention to walls or flooring that feel spongy, as this is an indication that water is collecting behind or underneath. Listen for a hissing, gurgling, or rushing sound, which can indicate a serious water leak. A local plumber has leak detection tools to uncover the source of a leak if you notice any of these classic signs. Lastly, sniff for a musty or moldy smell. Leaking water can cause mold and bacteria growth quickly, resulting in major damage. If you smell anything foul, call an emergency plumber immediately!

If you notice water anywhere in your home, then you definitely have a leak somewhere. But what if you can’t see the leak or the damage it’s causing? If your water bill is high or you notice anything strange in your home like dark spots, soft walls, squishy flooring, hissing sounds, or funny smells, you may have a leak you can’t see. Call a licensed plumber to find the source of a leak in your home.

When you have a broken pipe, time is critical. Turn off the water and call a local emergency plumber right away. Whether the pipe is outside (like an underground sewer line) or inside (like a water supply line in a basement or bathroom) a local plumbing company can get there quickly to minimize the damage to your yard or home. They will get the pipe repair done right the first time so you can get back to living your life.

In the case of a broken pipe or frozen burst pipe, you should call an emergency plumber right away. Serious home damage can result any time there is a water leak, resulting in a costlier fix the longer you wait. It doesn’t take much water damage for mold growth to occur either, which can add even more expense to your repair and clean up costs. While a licensed plumber is on the way, take pictures of any damage that resulted from the pipe failure if you plan on filing an insurance claim because you may need proof of damage. Afterwards, prioritize saving your most valuable possessions while the emergency plumber works to get the pipe repair work or pipe replacement done. Start drying out things like important documents, pictures, and keepsakes with paper towels and clothes. Wipe water from wooden and leather furniture to avoid water spots if these pieces can be salvaged. Then remove anything small enough to carry (accent rugs, blankets, etc.) that may hold water there. Once the pipe has been repaired, ask your trusted plumber to recommend a local water restoration company or look online for someone to come dry out the affected area completely.

If your garbage disposal is stuck, turn it off before attempting to unstick whatever is caught in there. If you can easily access the plug, unplugging it is always a good idea as well. Try poking around in there with something sturdy and long, like a knife or screwdriver to see if you can feel anything obvious stuck in your garbage disposal. If a fork or other kitchen item has fallen into your garbage disposal, this will likely be enough to identify that that is the cause, allowing you to reach in and pull it out once you’re sure it’s safe to do so. If you don’t feel anything, take a dowel or another similar object and stick it inside. Holding the dowel firmly, try to manually turn the disposal blades. (Note: some garbage disposal models have a specialized tool that allows you to do the same thing from underneath. Check your manual to see if your unit came with one of these or if one can be purchased separately to assist in this situation.) Usually, making the room to allow the blades to spin is enough to help them unstick themselves and free the flywheel if whatever is in there hasn’t bound them up. If you can feel the blockage release, pull the dowel out, plug in the disposal, run some water, and try to turn it on again with your hands safely well away from the sink. If this doesn’t work, you will either need to call a professional plumber, or turn off power to the unit and try to take it apart to diagnose the problem. A local plumber will have the tools needed to remove your garbage disposal to get to the bottom of whatever is stuck in there, as well as new units in case you need to replace your garbage disposal.

A garbage disposal can clog in one of two places – inside the unit itself or in the drainpipe where waste is dispelled. Either way, it can cause water to back up and foul smells to result. When you call a local plumbing company to come fix your garbage disposal, they will inspect both the drain line and the unit itself to figure out where the clog is. If the drain is clogged, a plumber will use specialized tools to clean out the pipe to once again allow water to flow through effectively. If the clog is inside the garbage disposal, a plumber will be able to remove the clog and replace any components that have been damaged by the blockage. Whether it results in a garbage disposal repair or garbage disposal replacement, a professional plumber has the expertise needed to get your disposal fixed quickly so you can get back to using it.

Problems like frequently backing up toilets or sinks can indicate that you have a serious plumbing issue, especially if they’re coupled with reduced water pressure. A sewer line that’s blocked by roots, sediment, organic matter, construction debris, or scale buildup can be to blame. If your sewer lines are located close to trees and other landscaping, it’s possible that you have roots in your sewer lines. If you suspect that you have roots in your pipes, don’t wait – reach out to a licensed plumber right away. (The longer you wait, the more the roots will grow, trapping other debris in the pipes and resulting in a bigger clog.) Call a local plumber to have someone come out and take a look at your pipes. A licensed plumber can use a guided camera to get a better view of what’s happening inside your pipes. If you have root growth in your sewer lines the plumbing company will use a technique like hydro jetting or sewer rodding to remove the roots. These approaches break up the roots inside, smoothing out the constructed area of the pipe to allow water to flow normally again.

A clogged toilet is the easiest plumbing problem you can have in your home, which means that in most cases you can likely handle it yourself. When your toilet clogs, first try a plunger to dislodge the clog. If the plunger doesn’t work, there’s no need to panic. You may simply have the wrong kind of plunger for your toilet. Oval toilets have oblong holes in the bottom, making them a poor fit for standard cup plungers. Look for a flange plunger at your local hardware or home improvement store to try instead. This flanged plunger will create a much better seal on any toilet, but especially oval toilets, to tackle difficult clogs. If that still doesn’t work, try a toilet snake (also known as a toilet auger) to get through the clog. If you’ve never used one of these before, take extra care not to damage your toilet as these can scratch or crack the bowl or get hung up down inside when used improperly. For really bad clogs, call a local plumber to come out and unclog your toilet. Don’t be embarrassed – they’ve seen it all and have the expertise needed to fix a clogged toilet quickly.

Follow the directions on your specific toilet auger to ensure that you’re using it correctly. If you don’t have the instructions any longer, the basic process for using a toilet snake is to insert the cable-like end into the clogged toilet (being careful not to scrape the inside of the bowl), release the additional length of the snake down inside, and then turn the handle slowly and steadily to break up the clog. Depending on how high the water is when doing this, you may need to bail some out with a bucket first to avoid sloshing and spilling as you operate the snake. If the auger seems to get hung up while operating it or after the water starts to go down while removing it, never pull on it hard, otherwise you risk damaging the piping. Always take your time and go slow. If your toilet auger won’t unstick, call a professional plumber!