Walk into any home improvement, or hardware, store and you will find shelves and shelves full of plumbing supplies and fixtures for sale. To the average homeowner, the availability of these items gives the impression that plumbing is an easy issue to resolve. While it is true that some of the plumbing repairs homes require can be completed by a handy person, that is not always the case. Sometimes, the best course of action is to call in a professional to take care of a problem. Before you call a Park Slope emergency plumber like Aladdin Plumbing, however, follow these three simple steps.
A clogged kitchen, or bathroom, drain is a pain, to say the least. Every time you run the water, it backs up into the sink, and it takes forever for it to drain out again. Most homeowners will try the usual fixes found on the shelves of grocery and big box stores. Liquid drain cleaners might not be able to break through some clogs. Of course, you can also try to remove the clog manually by using a plunger to force water through. This technique, however, can result in damage to pipes under sinks and should be done with caution. An emergency plumber, on the other hand, will bring along a camera that can be put into the drain to locate the exact location and type of clog. Armed with this information, the plumber can safely, and quickly remove the clog, so your drains flow freely.
If you walk into your bathroom, or kitchen, and step in a puddle of water, your first thought might be that it is a simple spill that needs to be wiped up. When those puddles lead to a leak under the sink, or dishwasher, or around the tub or toilet, however, you have to act quickly. Standing water can cause damage to your floors, walls, and appliances. Your first order of business is obviously going to be containing the water that’s already leaked out. Next, you will want to see if you can spot the location of the leak. If you can, turn off the water supply to the appliance, or sink so that it stops running. If you cannot do that, look for the water connection for the entire home and turn that off. Once you have stopped the water from flowing, call a plumber to come by and fix the problem.
Drips coming from bathroom and kitchen faucets are one of the most common problems homeowners experience, especially in older homes. Worn out hardware and simple aging cause seals to fail, which allows small amounts of water to come through. In some cases, it is simply a matter of replacing the rubber seals and the drip stops. Replacing a faucet, or repairing the pipes that connect it to the water supply are much trickier. If too much pressure is put on fittings, the fittings and hardware will crack or break. Too little pressure and it will not form a proper seal, thus allowing water to seep out. To avoid costly repairs later, minimize the damage leaking water causes, turn off the water and leave faucet and drain replacements to a licensed plumber.
Plumbing problems can disrupt the flow of your daily activities and add stress to your already busy life. Attempting to fix them yourself could make the problem worse, and it will certainly take up a portion of your valuable time. If you are in the Park Slope area, contact Aladdin Plumbing and we will send out a friendly, experienced Park Slope emergency plumber to get things back in order. We understand how valuable your time is, and we will work to complete repairs as quickly as possible so you can get back to what matters to you most.