Talking Shop: How to Explain Plumbing Problems to Your Plumber
September 30, 2020
Sometimes, it seems that tradesmen speak a different language. Flanges, traps, and risers are all common plumbing terms, but what does that mean to someone with limited experience? To expedite explaining your plumbing issues, here’s how to talk to your plumber.
Sound It Out
Certain common plumbing issues have a distinctive sound. If you can hear your pipes making noise, your plumber can likely recognize the sounds and fix your plumbing problems. When you call, explain your issue and sound it out too!
- Air in pipes makes a “ticking” or “sputtering” noise as faucets are opened.
- Water hammer sounds just like you might imagine: a “bang” or hammering sound in your walls as pipes move and hit studs, drywall, other pipes, or conduits.
- “Whistling” in your pipes could be from an old valve or from deposit buildups in the pipes.
- “Gurgling” or “burbling” from the drain is likely a sign of a clog forming.
Straight Talk
It can be embarrassing to talk about what’s gone wrong in your bathroom. Instead of trying to disguise what the potential cause of the issue may be to save face, try to explain what you think may be the issue. Whether it’s a foreign object obstructing the drain or DIY gone wrong, your plumber has likely already had to deal with that situation before. They won’t judge you for it. When you explain exactly what might have caused the issue, you’re pointing your plumber in the right direction. If they’re able to determine the cause of sewer troubles quickly, they’ll repair it quickly too.
Help Them Help You
It’s important to know certain things about your home. Whether your home is on sewer or septic can change how your plumber deals with an issue. Make sure you know at least the basics so that you can help your plumber get to work and quickly fix your plumbing troubles. Remember where your water shutoff is so that you can quickly disable water flow in the event of a burst pipe- your plumber may also need to shut off water to perform pipe replacements, unclog drains, or otherwise fix an issue.
Speak With a Plumber Today
If you have plumbing problems and need them resolved, give us a call. Our licensed plumbers can diagnose your plumbing issues and help solve them.
For more urgent appointments, Best Plumbing offers 24/7 emergency burst pipe repair services. Simply call our emergency hotline (206) 800-7822 and we’ll be there to get the issue solved.
Serving the communities of Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Burien, Everett, Woodinville, Redmond, Federal Way, Kent, Issaquah, Renton, SeaTac, Bothell, and Lynnwood.