Common Winter Plumbing Emergencies
Have you seen the robins yet? All the snow that buried us is now melting creating the beauty that is Springtime mud puddles. You know what else Spring brings, don’t you? An excessive amount of rain, which in turn, can spell disaster for some homeowners amongst flooding and failed sump pumps. Plumbing emergencies are never fun, but with the help of these tips, we hope you’ll feel more prepared!
April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring flooding basements, failing sump pumps, leaking pipes, and a huge mess! The sudden, violent fluctuations in temperature can spell utter disaster for your water lines, oh and your drain lines too! This is especially true if you have an older home, in which, the plumbing might be outdated.
1 LEAKING PIPES
The freezing temperatures of winter can cause water lines to expand which, as you might imagine, can create a crack in water or drain lines. While it’s still cold, frozen water could fill the gap leaving the crack undetectable. Undetectable that is, until the warm temperatures hit and suddenly there is a leaking pipe, dirty water coming from the faucets, or low water pressure. The crack and leaks can also occur during the Spring when the drastic fluctuations between warm days and harsh cold snaps. The rapid expansion and contracting of the pipes can create a weak point, possibly even a busted pipe! In fact, it is one of the most common plumbing emergencies.
BUT HAVE NO FEAR, THREE T’S PLUMBING IS HERE! (ok you got me, kind of corny but true nonetheless) Our master plumber can find a leak in your wall with our state-of-the-art thermal gun! While the name might sound scary this incredible tool can detect leaks in your floor or wall WITHOUT busting holes into every wall looking for the problem. You can put your trust in us to get your problem fixed fast & efficiently with a friendly face to boot!
2 FAILING SUMP PUMPS
The rush of extra ground water, from the melting snow and heavy rains, can really pack a punch to a sump pump. Sump pumps gets a real break every Winter due to the ground water being frozen. And as we all know a little too well, that first hard workout after a few months off can be a real killer! Some signs that you may want to have your sump pump looked at or replaced include:
- Making strange noises
- Running all the time
- Not running at all or enough
- Overflowing crock or water leaking into the basement
- Being 7 years or older
If you notice any of these call Three T’s Plumbing to have a professional plumber service come assess the situation for you! Remember, it’s better safe than sorry, replace old sump pumps BEFORE they fail and cause damage.
3 LOW WATER PRESSURE
A common complaint among homeowners in the Spring is low water pressure. This can be caused from a damaged water line (see leaking pipes above). This problem can also be located with the thermal gun and fixed by our friendly, plumbers here at Three T’s Plumbing.
4 DAMAGED HOSE BIBS
The outside faucet you attach your garden hose to is called a hose bib. These hose bibs can easily become damaged during the Winter freezing temperatures, especially if you forgot to detach the garden hose. You may notice leaking once things heat up and the frozen water stops blocking the cracks. If you notice flooding or puddling under or near your hose bibs, call Three T’s Plumbing as soon as possible.
These can be costly and devastating plumbing emergencies. However, when you know what to look for and who to call you don’t have to worry so much about the unexpected. You’ll have to worry even less when you work with a professional plumbing company, like Three T’s, which offers third-party financing for approved credit for life’s big emergencies! Call TODAY to get approved!
